Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Wednesday that a tunnel road for Bengaluru’s Hebbal-Silkboard Junction stretch would not be possible without collecting a toll from users, adding that people would pay the toll if they want to save time.
Speaking to reporters during his two-day visit to New Delhi, Shivakumar said, “Without a toll, no tunnel road will work out. Other states also have tolls in cities. Even in Bengaluru, tolls are levied on the airport road, Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, and NICE corridor. If people want to save time, they will pay the toll and use the tunnel.”
In June, the Karnataka Cabinet approved the construction of two major tunnel road corridors in Bengaluru under the build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) model, clearing the way for toll-based road usage. Under the model, selected private players will recover their investment through toll collection over 30 years.
Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru development minister, said that tender works were underway and that global tenders would be issued through a newspaper notification in two to three days.
On Union minister H D Kumaraswamy’s representation to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on June 24 over building underground road infrastructure for Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “I welcome the suggestions (by Kumaraswamy). Let anybody take credit (for the tunnel road project). Even if some finances can be arranged, I welcome it. Eventually, we want people to save time and commute faster.”
The detailed project report of Bengaluru’s twin tunnel road project between Hebbal and Silk Board Junction has estimated a toll of Rs 330 for a distance of 16.6 km. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 18,000 crore.
The report also states that tolls for subsequent years are calculated on the basis of a 5 per cent annual increase in the wholesale price index, with a 40 per cent restriction. The base year for the toll revenue is FY 2030-31. Importantly, the toll estimates have been proposed only for cars, with no mention of other vehicles.
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According to the report, a toll of Rs 320 is estimated for Hebbal-Sarjapur/HSR Layout (16.3 km), Rs 250 for Hebbal-Hosur Main Road (12.79 km), Rs 180 for Hebbal-Seshadri Road (9.05 km), Rs 320 from Outer Ring Road, K R Puram-Silk Board Junction, Rs 245 for Mekhri Circle to Silk Board Junction (12.54 km), and Rs 195 for Race Course-Silk Board junction (9.8 km).
Further, the report has also estimated tolls of Rs 255 from Jayanagar to Hebbal (13 km), Rs 245 from Jayanagar to Outer Ring Road and KR Puram (12.36 km), and Rs 130 from C V Raman Road to Hebbal (6.60 km).
The north–south corridor, from Hebbal Esteem Mall Junction to Silk Board KSRP Junction, is going to be developed as an underground tunnel having three intermediate locations connected via ramps for entry and exit into the main tunnel. This alignment will connect the Hebbal and Silk Board Junction with the three intermediate ramps–at Mekhri Circle, Racecourse, and Lalbagh–reducing travel time from about 90 minutes to 45 minutes.