Rs 40,000 cr for tunnel road project, 41 km additional Metro lines proposed in budget

BENGALURU: The tunnel road projects, covering a total of 40 km of tunnel roads, have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in the budget presented on Friday. He also said that a total of 41 km of additional Metro lines will be completed during the financial year 2026-27 to benefit approximately 15 lakh commuters daily.

White-topping of more than 450 km of roads in Bengaluru will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 3,000 crore in the next three years. In his budget speech, CM Siddaramaiah said, “Our government’s primary objective is to make Bengaluru the world’s most liveable city. “A project to develop the Outer Ring Road from Silk Board Junction to K R Puram Metro station into a global-standard corridor is being undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 450 crore”, he noted.

The North-South Corridor project from Hebbal junction to HSR Layout Silk Board and the East-West Corridor project from K R Puram to Mysore Road, covering a total of 40 km of tunnel roads, have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore under the BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) model. In the first phase, tenders have been invited for the 17-km-long North-South Corridor project at a cost of Rs.17,780 crore.

A tunnel road and an elevated road from Hebbal junction to Mekhri Circle will be constructed by the Bangalore Development Authority at a cost of Rs 2,250 crore, the CM said.

“Namma Metro is the second-largest metro rail network in the country. The current operational network spans 96 km, benefiting 10 lakh commuters every day. Out of Rs 67,460 crore expenditure incurred till date, the state’s share is Rs 59,376 crore and Central share is Rs 8,084 crore. The Central share accounts to only 12 per cent against the 88 per cent state share”, CM Siddaramaiah said.

A total of 41-km of additional metro lines is proposed to be completed during the financial year 2026-27. This will benefit approximately 15 lakh commuters daily. A 9-km long pedestrian walkway along the Metro viaduct on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs160 crore, under the sponsorship of Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), the CM said.

Beautification of 175 junctions, upgradation of 500 km footpaths and the construction of 100 skywalks will be taken up over the next three years by using the internal resources of the Bengaluru City Corporations. To ensure future growth and sustainable land-use planning, a new Revised Master Plan-2041 (RMP) for Bengaluru will be implemented by the end of 2027. Additionally, a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) will be prepared within six months.

To mitigate traffic congestion in Bengaluru, the land acquisition process for the construction of the 73-km-long Bengaluru Business Corridor Phase-1 from Tumkuru Road to Hosur Road is progressing rapidly. Compensation is being distributed to farmers on a priority basis. It is aimed to complete this road within four years. To reduce traffic congestion in Bengaluru city, the Nelamangala – Tavarekere – Bidadi Intermediate Ring Road will be constructed using financial resources of BMRDA and local planning authorities.

Infrastructure development works are being implemented at a total cost of Rs 3,885 crore under Phase-4 of the Chief Minister’s Amrutha Nagarothana (Municipality) Scheme. So far, the state government has released Rs 1,716 crore. An additional Rs 500 crore will be provided in the current financial year.

“In the 2025-26 financial year, development of ward road and infrastructure in five city corporations of Bengaluru have been undertaken at a total cost of Rs1,255 crore. White-topping work for 158 im of road length has been undertaken at a total cost of Rs 1,700 crore. The development of arterial and sub-arterial roads has been implemented at a total cost of Rs1,936 crore”, he said.

To provide the citizens of Bengaluru with transparent, people-friendly, participatory, and responsive governance, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the five corporations have been established. In the year 2025-26, the state government increased the grant for development of Bengaluru from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 7,000 crore. This grant will be continued in the current year as well. City corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority will mobilise resources for development works by issuing municipal bonds based on their balance sheets.

The development/upgradation works of the storm water drains under the World Bank assisted Water Security and Disaster Resilience Programme are being implemented through tenders at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore. “Tenders have been invited and implementation is under way for the upgradation of primary storm water drains and lake development works at an estimated cost of Rs 273 crore”, the CM said.

To provide drinking water to approximately 1.40 crore people of Bengaluru city, a total of 2,225 MLD of water is being supplied through the Phases I to V of the Cauvery Water Supply Project. Our government has now formulated the Cauvery Phase VI project at a cost of Rs 6,939 crore with JICA assistance to supply an additional six TMC of water.

With a view to maintain cleanliness in the cities, underground drainage (UGD) works will be taken up in Annigeri, Gundlupet, Nelamangala, Doddaballapur, Bhadravathi, Devanahalli, and certain parts of Mysuru. Additionally, with the assistance of KKRDB Micro and State Government funds, UGD works will be undertaken in the towns of Aland, Afzalpur, Chittapur, Yadgiri, Harapanahalli, Jevargi, and Shorapur.

Under the Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikas Yojana 2.0, Rs.200 crore each will be provided in 2026-27 for the newly upgraded City Corporations of Raichur, Bidar, and Hassan. In urban local bodies (ULBs), e-Aasthi (e-Property) software will be integrated with a Unified Property Tax software. A Unified Property Tax system will be implemented to automatically generate tax demands and arrears details.

“The Estate Management Rules, 2026” will be implemented to simplify the process of managing immovable properties and commercial complexes owned by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and to ensure a uniform policy. One hundred ‘Miyawaki Parks’ will be constructed in selected urban areas by densely planting native species to create natural green spaces.

“After our government assumed office, four City Municipal Councils have been upgraded to City Corporations, 13 Town Municipal Councils to City Municipal Councils, three Town Panchayats to Town Municipal Councils, and 16 Gram Panchayats have been upgraded to Town Panchayats”, the CM noted.

For students coming for higher studies and preparation of competitive exams, four ‘Vidyarthi Indira Canteens’ will be started in Dharwad and two in Bengaluru. To ensure permanent 24/7 supply of quality drinking water to Kalaburagi city, a Detailed Project Report will be prepared for works estimated at a cost of Rs.1,863 crore. A total of Rs 100 crore will be provided for development of basic infrastructure in various areas of Davangere South Assembly constituency where majorly Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minority communities resides.