Bangalore's Underground Tunnel road project to Kick-Off Soon

Rs. 50,000 crore worth Bangalore's Underground Tunnel road project to kick off soon!

One of the world-famous Writers -Jeffery Archer was in Bengaluru for his new Book launch, and was stuck in the city's notorious traffic jam. Getting the taste of it. Bengaluru traffic jams spare no one.

Traffic moved 35km per hour in 2005; 9.2km per hour in 2014; it is 4-5km per hour at peak hours on the Outer Ring Road. And strong why regular commuters must avoid travelling on ORR.

The Five Arterial Bangalore's outer ring roads stretch through 63km connecting the entire Bangalore. Sees horrific traffic jams perpetually, irrespective of daily peak-hours.

Another proposed tunnel road project, with an estimated cost a staggering Rs. 50,000 crore for its execution, aims to reduce the travel time between arterial roads to just 20 mins.

Yet another "Cut the feet to fight the shoes" project, similar to all the other city's "fine kettle of fish" projects.

The projects are designed and planned to handle today's traffic jams, and not for exploding future traffic. Lack of proper planning and under-estimating the future's traffic can lead to worsened traffic jams, despite spending a fortune on the project.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is working on linking Mysuru Road, Tumakuru Road, Old Madras Road and Ballari Road through the 30 km-long tunnel.

Underground tunnel roads are the fore seen solution to overcome the city's irritating traffic jams

"Building a tunnel road" is the only solution left to ease the traffic congestion in Bengaluru. Due to the deficit in the infrastructure of the city, which includes -flyovers, religious structures and Metro lines stretching across the city.

The Planning authorities are running out of options to manage the traffic. And is planning to borrow through the city to divert the traffic, in turn, ease the city's traffic jams in the city.

Given the high costs, it is unlikely to use the "Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model, contractors pool the entire project cost with the intention - but the project is very much possible.

In recent years, NHAI has implemented Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) to invest in large-scale projects in the country.

Under the HAM scheme, NHAI will contribute 40% of the project as -Engineering, Construction and procurement. The contractors will manage the rest under the BOT model.

The tunnel planning authority is conducting an analysis to identify the bottlenecks the tunnel will serve. Moreover, it is still in the conceiving stage. An industry expert shares.

The NHAI is designing the project along the government property along the tunnel alignment, he said. Housing societies, Shopping malls, and apartment complexes; will be given direct access to the tunnel via OMR and Ballari Road hasn't taken off yet; is waiting for the gun shot. And it is delayed due to massive land costs.

Here's some recent updates:

Positive Developments:

Project Nears Kick-Off: While initial setbacks pushed the timeframe back, promising developments in April 2024 suggest that the Bangalore Underground Tunnel project is finally ready to begin. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is actively involved in finalizing project specifics and resolving outstanding issues. The officials' fresh attention demonstrates a commitment to completing the project successfully.

Land Acquisition Progress: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the project's nodal body, has apparently made great progress in acquiring land along the proposed tunnel line. Securing land rights is a vital step in any infrastructure project, and this success allows work to begin without further delay.

Revised Budgetary Considerations: Although official budget announcements are in the works, several media sources anticipate possible revisions due to fluctuations in construction supplies pricing or changes to the project timeframe. The BDA and NHAI are expected to reconsider budgetary allocations to ensure the project's financial viability and timely completion. Transparency in these modifications and clear communication with the public will be critical for maintaining public trust and support.

Challenges to Navigate:

Environmental Impact Assessments: Ensuring that the project complies with strict environmental requirements and reduces its ecological footprint is an important challenge. Before construction can begin, the project's proponents must prioritize green construction rules and receive all required environmental permits. Addressing environmental concerns proactively can help to avoid any delays and guarantee that the project is in line with sustainable development goals.

Traffic Management During Construction: The underground tunnel project's building phase is likely to cause traffic problems in specific places. Creating a thorough traffic management plan that reduces commuter difficulty is essential. This plan should include clear signs, authorized alternative routes, and possibly staggered development timetables to avoid overloading the current traffic infrastructure. Proactive communication with the public about these disruptions will be critical for sustaining public understanding and cooperation.

Long-Term Sustainability: The ultimate success of the Bangalore Underground Tunnel project is dependent on its long-term viability. Integration with the current public transportation network, which includes metro lines and bus services, will be necessary to ensure that the tunnel lowers traffic congestion. Encouraging ridership through subsidized public transportation use and smooth integration with the tunnel system is critical. In addition, the project's design should take into account future urban growth plans to ensure its long-term viability.

Conclusion:

Bengaluru city is the second largest populated city in India, after Delhi. One of the most polluted cities in India, You can Image the density of traffic regularly driving through every single minute, Increasing the city's traffic to horrendous levels.

Bengaluru traffic is known to get on one's nerves and get out of hand, even to traffic police. Hence the City developmental authority has planned on building an underground tunnel stretching over 30 km linking -Mysuru Road, Tumakuru Road, Old Madras Road and Ballari Road.

The underground tunnel's budget is estimated at around Rs. 50,000 crore.

NHAI is responsible for developing and building the project and at the moment it is analysing the bottlenecks the tunnel serves and might have to find a workaround for it. The NHAI is looking for government land along the tunnel's alignment.

With tunnels operations available for public access, we can expect to bring down the traffic on the Outer Ring Road which is otherwise perpetually jammed.

Bangalore Underground Tunnel Roads FAQs

Q. What is the peak time of traffic in Bangalore?

A. The worst traffic hours in Bangalore are morning 8:30 am to 11:30 am and the evening peak time is between 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

Q. What is the ranking of Bangalore Traffic Jam?

A. Bangalore's traffic is ranked second-most congested with heavy traffic jams. According to the traffic intensity projected by the Dutch Location Technology Specialist.

Q. What are the traffic rules in Bangalore?

A. Traffic rules in Bangalore which are to be religiously followed are:

• Carry relevant vehicle documents

• Rider must have a driver's license

• The rider and pillion must wear helmets when travelling on the two-wheeler.