While Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has been championing a tunnel road from Hebbal to Silk Board Junction, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has now proposed his own version of a high-tech solution—an Ultra-Modern Underground Road Network (UMURN) to tackle Bengaluru’s worsening traffic congestion.
On Tuesday, Kumaraswamy met Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at his New Delhi residence to discuss major infrastructure initiatives for Karnataka. Key among them were the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) and the newly proposed UMURN for Bengaluru. Interestingly, Kumaraswamy had earlier opposed Shivakumar’s tunnel project but is now advocating for a similarly ambitious underground road network.
In a formal letter to Gadkari, Kumaraswamy described UMURN as a transformative urban mobility solution. He argued that a citywide underground road system connecting major areas would ease traffic bottlenecks, improve connectivity, and lay the groundwork for sustainable urban expansion. Gadkari is said to have responded positively to the idea.
The proposal comes as Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE) prepares to launch tenders for Shivakumar’s ₹42,000 crore tunnel road project linking North to South and East to West Bengaluru. Kumaraswamy emphasized that Bengaluru’s booming population and job market have led to overwhelming traffic and dense urban sprawl. He called the UMURN and PRR essential for the city’s long-term mobility and livability.
Both projects aim to connect key zones across the city and serve as lasting solutions to chronic congestion in Bengaluru’s urban core