[sansvk]

https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/sto...ys-dks-2714361
Great news, Tunnel roads to solve all our traffic issues.
Metro TBM experience should have told them the number of years it would take to complete one km.
Our authorities can’t manage one underpass and ensure it does not get waterlogged during rains. Here we talking of 190kms of tunnel work.

[am1m]

Finding a lot of things hard to understand about this tunnel proposal.

First off, the issues BMRCL is having tunneling through Bangalore's rocky ground even for short stretches is well-documented. Imagine tunneling for 100s of km (50 up, 50 down, to start with). Not to say this is impossible, people have tunneled under the sea to build railroads (Channel Tunnel), but I'm guessing the same issues BMRCL faces will crop up for this project. Not the least of which were shortage of trained staff for the TBMs, replacing cutter-heads that saw more wear and tear because of the terrain and the long delays while they had to be shipped from overseas.

Second, just because this is underground doesn't mean the roads above will not be disrupted. Again, look at all the areas where BMRCL is tunneling, usually some stretches of the road above are also shut. The TBMs need huge ramps to enter and exit.

Third, the pollution levels in Bangalore are already rising fast. We console ourselves because Delhi and Mumbai are worse, but they are rising. (https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/India...hy/ar-AA1hJdkz) 2 factors have been identified - large scale digging for infra projects and vehicular pollution. Do we want a project lasting for a decade (or more) that encourages both? Look at the delays for each simple 'magic-box' underpass project.

Finally, by the time the tunnels are built, the vehicle population is going to be enough to cause jams inside as well.

Why don't we just first get a decent public transport system in place that covers, say 70% of the city's main roads, add good last-mile connectivity. And then start actively discouraging private vehicles.

[bejoy]

The tunnel proposal may sound stupid, and that too being 4-6 Lanes even crazier, may not see the light of day (no pun intended), but I think the proposal is to shake down the real-estate blocks that may already have amassed huge pockets around the PRR.

[Acharya]

What would I do, if there is a general election upcoming and my coffers are running empty. Instead of collecting change from tens of projects and works, I would rather think of mega project with huge tenders of thousands of crores each.
Each tender would offer big opportunity to corner required wealth for my party and myself.

Whether the project work runs for 10 years or 25 years, who cares. I would have fulfilled my purpose.

[audioholic]

Regarding this whole tunnel fiasco, I think there is lot of exaggeration in the way its portrayed. End of the day, it might settle down to short cut and cover stretches done along the East west and North South corridor to enable seamless movement of the traffic in this route. Our town planning and infrastructure management is so poor that not even a drainage pipe can be relaid without breaking communication cables and gas pipelines. Keeping that in mind, it will be impossible to tunnel across the city and no reputed company will accept this idea. Even Bengaluru metro had its share of breaking stuff during both pillar construction as well as tunneling. Hence finally after the DPRs and so, the project will condense down to forming shorter cut and cover tunnels to bypass junctions and that must be it.

[bobbyblr]

Originally Posted by sansvk

https://www.deccanherald.com/amp/sto...ys-dks-2714361
Great news, Tunnel roads to solve all our traffic issues.
Metro TBM experience should have told them the number of years it would take to complete one km.
Our authorities can’t manage one underpass and ensure it does not get waterlogged during rains. Here we talking of 190kms of tunnel work.

The Bangalore City is sitting on the rocky surface and any tunneling will encounter only rocks, sewage and water pipes.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by audioholic

...and no reputed company will accept this idea.

That's another danger, only the shady contractors will take up something like this, spread the required bribes around and then fold-up leaving the work in whatever messy state it is. Case in point, Ejipura flyover.

(https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le67282343.ece)

[outdoorlover]

Is the new government trying to find it's hidden treasure under the ground? Its just a giga level money making ploy by the state govt and looting the tax payer's money when they are not able to keep simple underpasses free of water-logging which is leading to deaths.

[ShreyG]

Originally Posted by outdoorlover

Is the new government trying to find it's hidden treasure under the ground? Its just a giga level money making ploy by the state govt and looting the tax payer's money when they are not able to keep simple underpasses free of water-logging which is leading to deaths.

Just to re-iterate what one member mentioned above, seems clear as day what the intended purpose of this monstrosity is. Upcoming general elections need to be funded and what better way to do the same. Incompetency and corruption mindedness lead to the Bangalore Stonehenge. They can't build a simple 3 kms flyover and now want to build tunnel roads to flood. Public money and lives be damned.
I still don't understand why the STRR and the PRR are not be given high priority and accelerated completion. Case in example is Delhi, where the peripheral ring road gave a lot of respite to the city traffic there. But of course, if the purpose is to make money, new projects probably are the way to go.

[GrammarNazi]

This tunnel road will be a disaster. How much wider will it be than the Atal Tunnel ? What if someone had a heart attack/accident, how do emergency vehicles get there if there was a traffic jam ? If there was road-rage, or any other spontaneous / organised crime, how fast would the police force reach there ?

My brother put it best, "out if sight is out of mind, you'll are underground so media can't take drone shots of traffic gridlocks".

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by ShreyG

Just to re-iterate what one member mentioned above, seems clear as day what the intended purpose of this monstrosity is. Upcoming general elections need to be funded and what better way to do the same. Incompetency and corruption mindedness lead to the Bangalore Stonehenge. They can't build a simple 3 kms flyover and now want to build tunnel roads to flood. Public money and lives be damned.
I still don't understand why the STRR and the PRR are not be given high priority and accelerated completion. Case in example is Delhi, where the peripheral ring road gave a lot of respite to the city traffic there. But of course, if the purpose is to make money, new projects probably are the way to go.

All true, except the part about STRR. Its construction is actively going on, and that's bcoz its by the central govt (ie. NHAI).

Construction of PRR (which is by state govt), doesn't seem like it'll ever take off. Not a pebble has been lifted for it. Heck, even land acquisition hasn't begun.

[ShreyG]

Originally Posted by vharihar

All true, except the part about STRR. Its construction is actively going on, and that's bcoz its by the central govt (ie. NHAI).

Oh good to know. Just read about it. Seems its a part of Bharatmala, hence the urgency to get it completed before April 2024 I guess .
NHAI ideally should be able to complete it within the designated deadlines.
It is really important to have a bypass of the city for traffic coming in from the east and north east of the city towards the south. Might ease some pressure on the ORR and arterial roads.
PRR seems like a lost cause. Tunnels is the way to go apparently

[ghodlur]

Folks I always take the NH75 (funnily known as by no stds is this a national highway) from the Taj Yeshwantpur till Hebbal when I come from Nelamangala as this is the shortest route rather than taking the congested longer route through C V Raman rd/Mekhri cirle . This road is a narrow 1.5 lane where even the heavy vehicles ply but the conditions for the past 4 odd years has still remained the same. The road further narrows on the Rail over bridge and is the main black spot for traffic build up. I have seen heavy traffic on this route as early as 4 am too. Any other route alternative to reach Hebbal circle when coming from Nelamangala?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Any other route alternative to reach Hebbal circle when coming from Nelamangala?

unfortunately no other better option!
the only other option is to take HMT road and enter ORR through pipeline road , but then , there is flyover construction going on near Pipeline road signal and the pileup on HMT road near platinum city can be very bad. Also when you come on the elevated highway from Nelamangala side, you cannot take the HMT route.

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by bejoy

The tunnel proposal may sound stupid, and that too being 4-6 Lanes even crazier, may not see the light of day (no pun intended), but I think the proposal is to shake down the real-estate blocks that may already have amassed huge pockets around the PRR.

The plan for the tunnel seems to be the redux of the "Will make Bangalore, a Singapore" statement made by politicians in 1998-2000 time frame. Certain IT big-wigs also used to say waah-waah to this. The only thing which happened was that hanging bridge at K.R Puram, which did not solve any problem other than causing traffic jams in KJM railway station and M.M temple area.