Underground tunnel to ease Bengaluru traffic by 2025, details announced: Report

Bengaluru plans an 18-km underground tunnel connecting Hebbal and Central Silk Board, aiming to slash commute times and reduce city congestion by early 2025.

Bengaluru, often dubbed India’s Silicon Valley, is set to bid farewell to its notorious traffic jams with the imminent construction of an 18-km-long underground tunnel road. 

Projected at an estimated cost of approximately ₹8,100 crore, or roughly ₹450 crore per kilometre, the underground tunnel is slated for completion by January 1, 2025. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The initiative by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) aims to alleviate the city’s chronic traffic congestion, exacerbated during monsoons and festive seasons due to inadequate infrastructure and public transport, a report said.

Projected at an estimated cost of approximately ₹8,100 crore, or roughly ₹450 crore per kilometre, the underground tunnel is slated for completion by January 1, 2025, according to BBMP sources, the report stated.

Spanning from the Esteem Mall in Hebbal in north Bengaluru to the Central Silk Board junction in the south, the tunnel will feature additional entry and exit points strategically located across the city. This network promises seamless connectivity, significantly cutting down the current travel time between Hebbal and Central Silk Board from over an hour to a mere 20-25 minutes, the publication added.

Key entry and exit points include the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) quarters at Central Silk Board, Lalbagh, Bangalore Golf Club, Palace Grounds, and adjacent government land near Esteem Mall in Hebbal.

The tunnel, towering 10 meters in height, will facilitate traffic speeds ranging from 40 kmph to 60 kmph. Notably, a user fee will be implemented for maintenance purposes, although the exact amount remains undetermined at this stage.