Bengaluru Tunnel Scandal: BJP Accuses Congress of Real Estate Favoritism

The Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka claimed on Monday, "The real intention behind Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's so-called Bengaluru Tunnel Road is finally clear - not to ease traffic, but to please the real estate mafia."

"The Congress-led government in Karnataka has lifted Floor Space Index (FSI) limits and opened up Bengaluru’s most precious green and sensitive zones - Lalbagh, Race Course, Palace Grounds, and Hebbal - for commercial exploitation," Ashoka alleged.

"Instead of protecting Bengaluru’s lungs, they are auctioning them. Instead of reducing congestion, they are preparing to build glass towers and choke the city further. This is not urban planning - it’s urban looting under the name of infrastructure," Ashoka professed.

It can be recalled that the Karnataka government has approved a Rs 17,780 crore project to build a 16-kilometre road tunnel under Bengaluru, aiming to reduce travel time between the city's northern and southern parts. The project will be executed in two phases and will be the country's longest road tunnel once completed.

Despite opposition from some citizen groups and transport experts, the government plans to invite a global tender for the project soon.

High-rise buildings with a minimum of 15 floors are likely to come up in some of Bengaluru's most-sensitive green zones, as the state government has offered relaxations in building norms to attract private builders for the proposed tunnel road between Hebbal and Silk Board Junction.

Charging the government with underutilization of sanctioned funds, Ashoka slammed, "Even after six months of the 2025–26 financial year have passed, only 30 per cent of the allocated funds have been utilized — a clear reflection of how the administrative machinery in Karnataka has come to a complete standstill."

"Among the worst performers are the departments handled by Minister for RDPR, IT and BT Priyank Kharge, who spends most of his time chanting Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh and making controversial statements. The RDPR (Rural Development and Panchayat Raj) Department has utilised only 11.02 per cent of its funds, while the IT-BT Department has used just 10.86 per cent. His recent anger seems less about performance and more about a hidden malicious intent," Ashoka criticized.

Ashoka chided, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, before worrying about who his successor will be or who will lead the Ahinda movement, should first ask himself when the funds announced in the budget will actually be released — and when they will be spent for public welfare and development."

Ahinda is a socio-political term in Karnataka that stands for Alpasankhyataru, Hindulidavaru, and Dalitaru — meaning Minorities, Backward Classes, and Dalits.

- IANS