BBMP: ‘Tunnel Road’ not raised from DPR

 Traffic not smooth, city not attractive under ‘Brand Bengaluru’

 BBMP: ‘Tunnel Road’ not raised from DPR

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The ‘underground road’ project, which was announced in the state budget even before the BBMP budget, and is an alternative way to smooth traffic, costing thousands of crores, has not yet been raised from the detailed project report (DPR).

In the first month of the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah coming to power, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had said, ‘If smooth traffic is to be possible in the city, the only solution is a ‘underground road’, it will be ready once it is built.’ However, even after saying this, the project has not come out of the DPR even after a year and a half.

D.K., who is also the Bangalore Urban Development Minister, Shivakumar had given deadlines that tenders would be invited for the ‘tunnel road’ project from Hebbal to the Silk Board by September 2024, December 2024 and by the end of February 2025. However, BBMP’s Engineer in Chief B.S. Prahlad, who is leading the project, has not yet finalized the DPR. A firm that had prepared the DPR had also included the sheets of the Mumbai project and given it to the corporation. The engineers had also given an explanation that it was just one sheet.

‘Sugama Sanchar Bengaluru’ was given first priority in the BBMP budget under the concept of ‘Brand Bengaluru’. It was decided to allocate ₹800 crore and acquire means to make traffic smooth. The BBMP has only achieved so far by getting a feasibility report of Rs 54,000 crore for constructing 16 flyovers, including tunnels, under the ‘Bengaluru Integrated Traffic Management Project’. Although a detailed report has been given, there are allegations that BBMP engineers are wasting time and money by calling it a DPR.

Pink Room: Under the concept of ‘Attractive Bengaluru’, the BBMP budget had said that ‘pink rooms’ would be built for women at malls and bus stands, providing facilities for napkins and rest. The pink rooms have survived in the budget book, which was printed in colour.

It was said that electric lights would be installed at flyovers, underpasses and road junctions to make them attractive. LED lights were lit only at Hudson Circle during ‘Invest Karnataka’ and ‘Aero-India Air Show’. Later, they also disappeared.

Unable to identify the location for ‘Skydeck’!

The BBMP had announced in the budget that it would build a world-class 250-meter-high ‘Skydeck’ that would become an attractive destination for Bengaluru city. Although this was proposed even before the budget, engineers have not been able to identify the location for the ‘Skydeck’.

BBMP officials are saying that due to the delay in identifying the location for the construction of the second airport in Bengaluru, the locations identified in the south and north for the ‘Skydeck’ have not been finalized. Citizens keep complaining that BBMP officials, who have prepared ‘ready-made excuses’ for the delay of every project, are also responsible for the delay in the flyover works that have been going on for many years.

‘Brand Bangalore’ projects announced in the 2024-25 budget

₹880 crore – Smooth Traffic Bengaluru

₹300 crore for road white topping

₹100 crore for Rajakaluve buffer zone development

₹50 crore for road widening as per RMP

₹50 crore for road construction as per RMP

₹200 crore for tunnel road project DPR

₹30 crore for Padarayanapura road widening

₹100 crore for combined metro-road flyover route (double decker road)

₹50 crore for circular pedestrian flyover at Banashankari Circle

₹225 crore – Attractive Bengaluru

• ₹100 crore for coloured lights at important city landmarks
• ₹25 crore for beautification of junctions
• ₹50 crore for initial project cost of sky-deck construction
• ₹50 crore Funds for Kempegowda Development Authority

Not ‘Brand’, but ‘Pothole Bangalore’

‘The budget was divided in the name of Brand Bangalore. Out of the money allocated in this, ₹40 crore has been released for Detailed Project Report (DPR) and advisory reports. Apart from this, no other work has been done. Although ₹250 crore has been allocated in the grant of the District In-charge Minister, approval has been given for works worth ₹365 crore. But these works have not started yet. They have only given flowers to the ears of the people of the city in the name of ‘Brand Bangalore’. No works have been implemented. They have not even repaired the potholes on the roads, but have called ‘Brand Bangalore’ ‘Pothole Bangalore’. ₹367 crore has been spent per km to build tunnel roads in the highest altitude areas of Leh and Ladakh. But BBMP is going to spend more than ₹850 crore per km. They are now carrying out the work of the white-topping project that was approved in 2022-23,’ said former BBMP ruling party leader N.R. Ramesh.

Budget is a continuous process: Harish

‘Budget is a manual of the projects we undertake in a year. Mega projects are not completed in a single year. If the initial cost is shown in the first year, the money allocated for them is announced in the subsequent budgets. It is not possible to complete huge projects that will last for about five years this year,’ said Harish Kumar, Special commissioner, finance department of BBMP.

BBMP: ‘Brand Bangalore’ budget not launched

 A flood of projects in the 2024-25 budget; ‘New revenue’ not implemented

‘Brand Bangalore’ budget not launched

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The BBMP budget for 2024-25, which was presented to give a new look to Bengaluru under the concept of ‘Brand Bangalore’, is coming to an end, but many of the original projects have not been launched.

Projects such as 50 new Indira Canteens, ‘Arogya Sarathi’ that will go to the doorsteps of citizens in electric vehicles and give injections to improve immunity, establishment of 40 new primary health centers under the ‘Samagra Sadruth Arogya’ scheme, ‘Sharane Satyakka’ award for civic workers, Kempegowda Award scheme, construction of ‘She Toilets’ for women were announced in the budget. However, even as the budget for 2025-26 draws near, there are no signs of the projects announced in the previous year starting.

The ‘Brand Bangalore’ concept project, which was launched on the instructions of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, was started by collecting information through discussions with citizens, including educational institutions, and a report was prepared. The same was also suggested by Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar to incorporate it in the BBMP budget.

As per D.K. Shivakumar’s instructions, the BBMP budget was presented in seven sections under the title ‘Brand Bangalore’. It was intended to use the additional income from the Premium FAR and the advertisement policy for the implementation of these projects. It was also said that ₹1,580 crore would be transferred to the ‘Escrow’ account for this. However, a notification was issued on February 21, 2025 for the Premium FAR. The advertisement policy has not been implemented yet. Therefore, the projects under the ‘Brand Bangalore’ concept have fallen on deaf ears.

Municipal workers did not get ‘Sharane Satyakka’ award

Under the ‘Swachh Bengaluru’ concept, ₹100 crore has been allocated to purchase 100 acres of land each in four directions for waste processing. This is in its initial stages. Although ₹1,000 crore has been allocated for solid waste management, segregation, development of landfill sites, and operation of solid waste treatment plants, BSWML has stopped the projects at the tender stage.

Although the two-year-old plan to build 100 ‘she toilets’ for women was announced in the budget, the corporation has failed to give it a shape and implement it.

The plan to give ‘Sharane Satyakka’ award to eight people, like one municipal worker in each zone, and give ₹50,000 in cash each, Kempegowda Day celebration, and Kempegowda Award distribution have not been launched.

‘Separate Health Commissionerate’ not implemented

₹100 crore was allocated in the budget to upgrade health services under the name of ‘Healthy Bengaluru’. Plans to establish a separate Health Commissionerate for Bengaluru itself and manage all types of health services have been shelved. ‘Arogya Sarathi’, ‘Manobimba’ Samvad YouTube, ‘Sadhu Arogya’ schemes remain as budget book announcements.

It was announced that a comprehensive system would be created for civil services under the ‘Tech Bengaluru’ concept. The ‘Raste Gundi Kandhan Tantra’ app, which was launched to close road potholes, has been shut down in a few days. There is no response to the complaints filed by citizens. The ‘Service Platform’, a project to inform the stage of the process of resolving the complaints filed by citizens, has not been developed yet.

‘Indira Canteen’ not materialized: Katte Satyanarayana

‘None of the canteens, including the ‘Indira Canteen’ that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah first unveiled, are in good condition. No new menu has come. The promise of setting up 50 new Indira Canteens has been pending for two years. Under the scheme called ‘Clean Bengaluru’, the solid waste management system has deteriorated. There is one person who sweeps the garbage, one who removes it, one who collects it, one who transports it… Thus, the waste management system has deteriorated as there is a different agency for each. Although the BBMP presented the budget claiming to be the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ concept, no other work has started in the city except the old scheme of white topping,’ said former BBMP mayor Katte Satyanarayana.

₹12,371.63 crore – BBMP Budget 2024–25

Grant Allocation

Public Works; ₹7,280.93 crore

Solid Waste Management; ₹1,952.19 crore

Social Welfare; ₹829.63 crore

Public Health; ₹483.26 crore

Horticulture; ₹248.08 crore

Public Education; ₹214.82 crore

Town Planning; ₹62.30 crore

₹1,580 crore for ‘Brand Bangalore’

₹880 crore: Smooth Traffic Bangalore

₹225 crore – Attractive Bangalore

₹150 crore – Clean Bangalore

₹125 crore – Healthy Bangalore

₹100 crore – Green Bangalore

₹50 crore – Tech Bangalore

₹50 crore – Education Bangalore

Vidhan Sowdha, Vikas Sowdha, Rajabhavana’s tax not paid

 Property tax pending for more than 10 years; no action to seal: BBMP

Vidhan Sowdha, Vikas Sowdha, Rajabhavana’s tax not paid

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: More than one thousand buildings owned by the state and central government, including Raj Bhavan, Vidhan Sowdha, Vikas Sowdha, and multi-storey buildings, have not paid property tax for dozens of years.

Notices were issued to all the buildings during the One Time Relief Scheme (OTS) period. Also, BBMP officials in their respective zones had issued demand notices asking how much property tax should be paid. OTS was due by November 2024. However, none of the buildings have paid property tax so far. 

More than ₹150 crore is pending in property tax from more than one thousand government buildings in the city. However, the corporation has not come forward to seal the buildings and pay property tax. In the current financial year, more than 83 thousand private buildings have been locked and tax has been paid. Post offices were also locked when they did not pay tax.

The notice is old: ‘Notices were issued to central and state government buildings to pay property tax when OTS was in force. The officials of the concerned departments were also told that since there is no interest and penalty, many crores would be saved. However, they have not paid the tax,’ said BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath.

When asked by reporters whether government buildings will also be locked to lock private buildings that have not paid tax, Tushar Girinath replied, ‘No, how can that be done? Public buildings cannot be locked.’

Record despite not reaching the target: BBMP has collected more than 17 percent more property tax in the current financial year than the previous financial year, creating a record. However, with only a month left to reach the target for the year, ₹668 crore is still to be collected.

Yelahanka zone is at the top of the property tax collection, achieving 98 per cent. Bommanahalli zone is at the bottom, collecting 78.39 per cent. The remaining six zones have recorded collections of more than 83 per cent.

Compared to last year, Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone has collected 37.97 per cent more tax this year by the end of February. Dasarahalli zone (25.65 per cent), Yelahanka (24.50 per cent) and Western zone (23.95 per cent) are at the next position. Bommanahalli zone has seen a mere 2.12 per cent increase in collection.

Identification of tax-evading properties

Officials estimate that around seven lakh properties in eight zones of BBMP are not paying tax. Against this backdrop, 87,816 properties have been identified in the eight zones, and ₹285.12 crore in tax has been collected.

Demand notices were issued for tax of ₹398.49 crore from 15,731 properties that had been revised (as on 1st April 2024). Out of which ₹122.04 crore tax has been collected from 10,798 properties. 

The revision of property tax is ongoing and as on 1st March 2025, ₹152.26 crore tax is pending from 10,006 properties.

Property Tax Collection (as on 31st March 2025)

Zone;Target (₹ in crores);Collection (₹ in crores);Last year collection (₹ in crores) (as on 31st March 2024);

West;610.39;510.70;412.04

East;891.89;762.02;680.45

South;769.50;657.53;549.07

RR City;434.35;361.93;262.32

Bommanahalli;585.11;458.66;449.13

Dasarahalli;164.95;146.29;116.43

Mahadevpur;1,309.04;1,207.60;1033.92

Yalahanka;445.24;437.01;351.01 

₹231.42 crore tax arrears from 3,81,948 properties

Zone; property; balance

Bommanahalli;63,014;₹54.99 crore

Mahadevpur;89,509;₹49.77 crore

East;50,364;₹35.82 Crore

South;35,659;₹30.04 crore

West;40,237;₹30.04 crore

Rajarajeshwari Nagar;51,994;₹21.77 crore

Dasarahalli; 15,833; ₹13.19 crore

Rajakaluve: Approval for expenditure of ₹2 thousand crore

 ₹1,700 crore loan from World Bank; ₹300 crore expenditure from BBMP

Rajakaluve: Approval for expenditure of ₹2 thousand crore

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The state government has given administrative approval to the action plans worth ₹2 thousand crore to develop 179 km long Rajakaluves under BBMP jurisdiction. 

The state government had announced the plan to develop Rajakaluve under BBMP jurisdiction under the World Bank-assisted ‘Karnataka Water Security and Disaster Resilience Program’ in the budget for 2024-25. The decision to implement the plan was taken in the cabinet meeting held on February 20, 2025. Accordingly, the Urban Development Department approved the implementation of the action plans on March 1.

Yelahanka, Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli, R.R. The BBMP had submitted a proposal to approve the estimate and detailed project reports for the works of constructing barrier walls for 179.90 km long barrier-free royal canals in the city and Dasarahalli zones.

It had submitted a report and estimate for the repair and redesign of dilapidated stone structures of 80 km long royal canals in the selected outer zones including the eastern, western and southern zones of the inner city. The Urban Development Department has approved both these proposals.

After obtaining assistance from the World Bank, it has been suggested that the state government's share of ₹400 crore should be borne by the BBMP from its own resources. It has been said that tenders should be invited as per the KTPP Act, approval should be obtained from the competent authorities and the works should be implemented urgently.

The tender should be approved by a committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It has been suggested that any change in the approved action plan should be approved by the department minister.

It has been stipulated that the Chief Engineer of BBMP and the concerned Chief Engineers should monitor the quality of the works.

Details of Rajakaluve

• 859.90 km; Length of Rajakaluves in the city
• 75 km; Development till 2005
• 102. km; Development during 2006 to 2015
• 212 km; Development during 2016 to 2018
• 102 km; Development during 2019 to 2021
• 195 km; Construction of cistern wall in progress from 2022
• 173.90 km; Rajakaluve development pending

₹2,000 crore; Expenditure for Rajakaluve development

₹1,600 crore; Cost of 247 works in five zones of outer zone

₹400 crore; 104 works in inner zone, outer zone

How much cost in which zone?

Construction of barrier wall for Rajakaluves

Bommanahalli;₹205.25 crore

Mahadevapura;₹630.30 crore

Yelahanka;₹193.30 crore

R.R. Nagar;₹398.39 crore

Dasarahalli;₹173.61 crore

=

Redesign work of Rajakaluves 

East;₹85 crore

West;₹45 crore

South;₹65 crore

Koramangala Valley;₹20 crore

Dasarahalli;₹35 crore

Yelahanka;₹90 crore

R.R. Nagar;₹60 crore

Two link roads to Kempegowda International Airport

 BBMP working beyond its jurisdiction to connect to the airport

Two link roads to Kempegowda International Airport

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: BBMP is set to work beyond its jurisdiction to build two link roads for smooth traffic to Kempegowda International Airport.

As per the government order, BBMP is planning to build two roads in areas not under its jurisdiction. These roads are being built by the Road Infrastructure Department of Yelahanka Zone. For this, tenders have been invited to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) including the necessary funds, road expansion, land acquisition cost, building demolition, and re-tarmacking of the existing road.

It is proposed to build these two link roads apart from the alternative road currently being constructed via Bagalur to the airport. A new link road will be constructed from Bagalur main road through Country Club. Another link road will be constructed from Sadahalli Gate to the airport from near the power transmission unit near Begur. These two link roads will be connected to each other.

‘Both link roads have to be constructed almost from scratch. There are some ‘revenue layouts’ in this part. There is a few meters of road from there. It needs to be widened. A new road has to be constructed in the remaining part, and land acquisition has to be done,’ the engineers informed.

‘Land acquisition is planned under the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) scheme. It will be clear how much land will be acquired after the DPR is ready. This scheme has been started by the corporation on the orders of the government,’ he said.

Almost all of these link roads, which will be built in a length of about 13 km, need to be acquired. There is a possibility that the grant allocated by the government will be spent on land acquisition. Also, it is not yet known how those who will lose their land will agree to TDR. Two flyovers and one railway overbridge (ROB) will also have to be constructed on the two link roads. Hence, it is said that there may be a shortage of funds.

Link roads;

Satanur – Meesaganahalli to Kempegowda International Airport 

Begur to Sadahalli Gate to Kempegowda International Airport

• 13.5 km; Total length of the two link roads
• ₹100 m; Width of the link roads
• ₹240 crore; Estimated cost of the project
• ₹11.83 crore; Cost of preparation of DPR

BBMP to spend ₹3,108 per sapling

 Planting saplings as an alternative to uprooted trees for K-Ride project

BBMP to spend ₹3,108 per sapling

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

Bengaluru: The forest department has once again come forward to plant and nurture 34,000 saplings in two zones under BBMP jurisdiction at a cost of ₹3,108 per sapling.

The BBMP has been entrusted with the task of planting and nurturing saplings as an alternative to the trees that have been cleared by the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprises (K-Ride) project. The BBMP forest department, which has received the money, has started the sapling planting process.

The forest department has called for tenders to plant saplings in Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli zones and maintain them for five years. Although the sapling planting work was to be carried out in two zones, it has been divided into nine parts. A separate plan has been made to plant saplings in four parts in Mahadevapura zone and five parts in Bommanahalli zone. 

‘There is no need to spend ₹3,000 on a sapling. Any sapling, even if it grows to six feet, can be obtained for a maximum of ₹200. Spending thousands of rupees on maintenance is a waste. BBMP claims to have planted lakhs of saplings so far. But in reality, they have not maintained them. They are planning to plant saplings just to make ends meet,’ complained environmental activist Vijay.

This is not the first time: This is not the first time that the BBMP Forest Department has spent more than ₹3,000 on each sapling. In July 2024, a tender was called and work orders were issued to plant 10,900 saplings on both sides of the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) being built on the outskirts of the city between Dabaspet and Doddabelavangala at a cost of ₹3.4 crore. Even though summer is starting this year, there is no sign of those saplings being planted, and no G-tags have been installed.

The work has been divided into 27 works to plant 1,13,500 saplings in BBMP zones and will start in 2024. ₹21.36 crore is being spent for this, with each sapling costing ₹1,881. Despite criticism from the public about this wasteful expenditure, the work has been continued by the Forest Department.

When we tried to contact Swamy, Deputy Conservator of Forests, for a comment on the wasteful expenditure on saplings, he did not pick up the call.

• The third project is costing more than ₹3,000 per sapling
• Forest Department not yielding to opposition from environmental activists
• G-Tag information on saplings not available to the public

₹10.59 crore; Cost of saplings to be planted in Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli zones

34,100; Number of saplings to be planted in two zones

₹4.87 crore; Cost of saplings to be planted in Mahadevapura zone

15,700; Saplings to be planted in Mahadevapura zone

₹5.71 crore; Saplings to be planted in Bommanahalli zone

18,400; Saplings to be planted in Bommanahalli zone

DPR for Twin Tube East-West Tunnel Road

DPR for Twin Tube East-West Tunnel Road

Bengaluru: BBMP has started preparations for the construction of the Twin Tube East-West Tunnel Road in the city and has invited tenders for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

To ease traffic in the city, tenders will be invited in February for the construction of the 18-km long ‘North-South Corridor’ tunnel road from Hebbal to Silk Board. The cost of this will be ₹17,780 crore, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had recently said.

The tunnel road will be constructed in two phases, and the project will be funded by the BBMP and the government. Power Finance Corporation and HUDCO have come forward to provide loans. He also said that those who pay money at low interest rates will be given opportunities through auction.

Also read… Tunnel Fee 18 per KM

The second phase of the East-West Corridor Tunnel planned under the BBMP is to be constructed as a twin tube tunnel (double deck) with six lanes and a length of 28 km. It is estimated that the cost of this will be around ₹25,000 crore.

The BBMP has a feasibility report with maps for constructing the East-West Corridor Tunnel from K.R. Pura via Jawaharlal Nehru Park, C.V. Raman Hospital, Indiranagar, Domlur, Lalbagh, National College, Chamarajpet, Karyasiddhi Anjaneya Temple to Nice Road Junction near Nayandahalli. The DPR has now been prepared accordingly and the DPR will be ready within eight weeks of the finalization of the tender.