Pause Bengaluru tunnel road project, consult experts: Prakash Belawadi to govt

Amid growing opposition to Bengaluru’s proposed tunnel road project, actor and activist Prakash Belawadi has voiced sharp criticism of the government’s approach, calling for transparent consultations with experts and citizens.

The Federal spoke to Belawadi about why he believes the project is flawed and what the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka should do instead.

What is your take on Bengaluru’s proposed tunnel road project?

A lot of opposition has been expressed not just by us but by several civic and activist groups as well. Unfortunately, some supporters of the people in power have responded with personal attacks, saying, “What do you know about mobility? When did you become a mobility expert?”

The point is, I am not a mobility expert. What I don’t know could fill many libraries. But it’s not necessary for me to be one. The people in government should have consulted mobility experts. They are also not experts themselves. Instead of questioning us, they should ask themselves: are they accountable for spending Rs 1,000 crore per kilometre of public money? I am not spending that money; they are. So, they are answerable, not me.

The opinions we’ve shared about the tunnel road come from experts. We’ve held open consultative meetings, with the media present, and invited the public to attend. We’ve conducted transparent protests and shared data with everyone. Even the government’s own review panel has said this project is not a good idea.

Experts from other regions have also voiced their concerns. Yet, it seems that one or two ministers are adamant about pushing this through, despite sound arguments that it’s too expensive, benefits only car users, and could worsen, not ease, the city’s mobility crisis. This persistence, despite such clear opposition, makes us wonder if there are ulterior motives behind it.

Also read: Tejasvi Surya meets Shivakumar, urges scrapping of Bengaluru tunnel road project

What would you advise the government to do before moving ahead with this project?

The government should organise a comprehensive, three-day consultation involving every kind of stakeholder, people who actually live and work in Bengaluru. We need to discuss not just mobility, but the whole ecosystem of living and livelihood.

This includes housing, access to healthcare and nutrition, safe waste disposal, and sustainable employment opportunities. The discussion must also cover energy sources that don’t harm the environment, and public spaces that allow for recreation and sports.

Such a consultation should bring together doctors, well-being experts, town planners, engineers, mobility designers, and environmental specialists. Farmers, too, must be part of this — they face daily challenges selling their produce in unhygienic, unsafe conditions. We should have proper farmers’ markets, designed for both safety and convenience.

We also need hydrologists to manage groundwater, rainwater harvesting, and lake rejuvenation. Experts on soil and ecology must be involved to protect wetlands and increase green cover. Finally, there should be a plan to develop smaller cities within 100-500 km of Bengaluru to reduce migration pressure on the capital.

You can’t just have a BDA engineer decide, “Let’s build a bridge from here to there.” For what reason? How many people will it serve? Where did the idea come from? These are the questions that should be answered first.

Also read: Bengaluru to undergo tunnel road bypass ‘surgery’, prognosis is scary

With growing public opposition, what should the government do next?

Stop everything you are doing and hold a proper three-day consultation. Form subcommittees for each area: mobility, housing, environment, economy, and health and collect detailed reports. Then put everything together and let the cabinet make an informed decision.

The government has a mandate to do what people need, not whatever they want. The mandate has been given to look after us, not themselves.

Also read: 'Save Lalbagh': Bengaluru tunnel road plan sparks protests; MP Surya files PIL in HC

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