Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging the inclusion of critical infrastructure projects for Bengaluru in the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26. Highlighting the city’s pivotal role as India’s ‘Silicon Valley,’ Shivakumar emphasized the need for these projects to sustain Bengaluru’s growth and global prominence.
Key Proposals for Bengaluru
- Underground Vehicular Tunnel
- Project Details: A 28.5-km East-to-West corridor connecting K R Puram Circle to Nayandahalli Junction on Mysore Road.
- Estimated Cost: ₹25,000 crore.
- Funding: State government to provide ₹19,000 crore as Viability Gap Funding.
- Metro Expansion
- Proposal: Extension of double-decker roads along the Metro Yellow Line under Phase III.
- Phase IV Corridors:
- JP Nagar to Hebbal.
- Hosahalli to Kadabagere.
- Estimated Cost: ₹8,916 crore.
- Flyovers for Traffic Decongestion
- Proposal: 17 flyovers spanning 99.5 km across 11 high-traffic corridors.
- Estimated Cost: ₹12,000 crore.
Other Notable Projects
- Stormwater Drain Roads:
- Construction along buffer zones of stormwater drains (Raja Kaluves).
- Estimated Cost: ₹3,000 crore.
- Peripheral Ring Road (PRR):
- 73.04-km-long, 8-lane road for decongesting Bengaluru.
- Total Cost: ₹27,000 crore (₹21,000 crore for land acquisition and ₹6,000 crore for construction).
- Cauvery Water Supply Phase VI:
- Aim: Supply 500 million liters of water per day by 2028.
- Detailed Project Report (DPR) already submitted.
Conclusion
The proposed projects aim to alleviate Bengaluru’s growing traffic congestion, improve water supply, and enhance connectivity. DK Shivakumar’s appeal reflects the urgency of addressing the infrastructural challenges in a city housing nearly 1.5 crore residents.