The proposed Bengaluru tunnel project, championed by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar as a major step to reduce traffic congestion, is now facing criticism for potentially worsening the very issue it aims to solve. According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) by Rodic Consultants, 16 new congestion points could emerge around just eight entry and exit ramps, creating choke points across already-busy zones.
Planned access ramps at high-traffic areas — including Hebbal Flyover, IISc, Maharani College Junction, Freedom Park, Wilson Garden, and Hosur Road — are likely to aggravate existing surface-level bottlenecks.
The DPR does not specify how much traffic the tunnel is expected to absorb, nor does it clarify the average commuter travel distances. Based on BBMP’s data, a typical user would traverse the tunnel’s core 16.68 km, but due to detours at entry and exit points, the actual travel length would rise to 18.91 km—with many users needing to cover additional surface road distances, possibly exceeding 19 km overall.
Urban mobility advocates fear these ramps may disrupt junctions, create U-turn snarls, and narrow roads, increasing congestion for both tunnel and non-tunnel users. Rajkumar Dugar of Citizens for Citizens (C4C) warned that the new infrastructure might raise commute times citywide, rather than easing them.
Urban expert V Ravichandar echoed concerns, stating that overcrowding at tunnel access points could reduce expected time savings, rendering the project less effective in practice.