BJP leaders carry out signature campaign, silent protest against Bengaluru tunnel road project

Bengaluru, Nov 2 (PTI) BJP leaders in Karnataka on Sunday carried out a signature campaign and a silent protest at the Lalbagh botanical garden here, against the state government's proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru.

The protest led by the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashoka and Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, under the slogan "Protect Bengaluru - Stop tunnel road", was also participated by several party legislators from the city.

The leaders also interacted with the public, morning walkers at the Lalbagh regarding the proposed project.

BJP leaders and other activists have raised concerns over the possible environmental impact of the project on Lalbagh, and have said it will clearly be a disaster for Bengaluru.

Leaders have alleged that in Lalbagh, 6 acres of land will be acquired for the project.

Tejasvi Surya had recently said that the Tunnel Road, which is meant to resolve traffic, will end up creating 22 additional choke points - as per the project's DPR itself.

Tunnels are meant to save time and shorten travel distance but this Bengaluru tunnel will actually increase travel distance by 2 km as each entry and exit ramp is more than 1 km long, he said.

The proposed 16.75-km tunnel road will connect Silk Board and Hebbal, at an estimated cost of about Rs 17,800 crore.

Ahead of BJP's protest Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in-charge of Bengaluru, on Saturday had said that he was ready to form a committee on the tunnel road under the leadership of Ashoka.

"....let the committee give suggestions and directions. We will include any member they recommend. Let's all work together," he had said. PTI KSU ADB