‘Money-making business…’: R Ashoka slams Karnataka govt over tunnel road Project

BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka tore into the state government during the “Save Sankey Tank” signature campaign. He stated that the project is being carried out without permission and aims to collect a commission, which will be sent to the Congress party in Delhi.

“The Karnataka state government is making the tunnel road a money-making business… The government has not taken any survey… They have to take permission from 120 departments. They have not taken any permission. They want an immediate tender for a tunnel road, take the commission, and send it to the Congress party in Delhi… He (DK Shivakumar) is in a hurry to make money,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP leaders, including R Ashoka, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan, launched the ‘Save Sankey’ signature campaign to protect the Sankey tank from the Tunnel Road project.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: On the ‘Save Sankey’ signature campaign, LoP Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka, says, “The Karnataka state government is making the tunnel road as a money-making business… The government has not taken any survey… They have to take permission from 120… pic.twitter.com/N2EMlMDrJl

— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2025

The BJP leaders initiated the campaign by signing their names on a white background. A large group of people attended the campaign. The gathering had posters and placards with “Save Sankey Tank” written on them.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, R Ashoka, and other BJP leaders led a protest against the Tunnel Road corridor on November 2, demanding that the Project be scrapped.

Calling the project unscientific and incapable of solving Bengaluru’s congestion, Surya pointed out that the DPR states the project would create 22 additional choke points at the entry and exit ramps.

He also stated that the project was being pushed ahead without a public consultation and also flagged the absence of an environmental impact assessment and mandatory geological studies for the proposal.

During the occasion, the BJP Karnataka unit also launched a signature campaign at Lalbagh, urging citizens to come forward and participate in the movement aimed at saving Lalbagh from land acquisition and commercial development.

Surya has been vocal against the tunnel project and has consistently raised concerns since the feasibility study and DPR. He has been highlighting that the project is only for car owners and said it wouldn’t be viable for every car user in the city to pay a toll of Rs 330 per trip per direction for using the Tunnel Road. (ANI)