Overview
- A government-appointed committee led by BMRCL’s Siddanagouda Hegaraddi found the DPR rushed, based on only four boreholes and missing ERT studies to assess groundwater risks.
- The proposed alignment parallels the planned Namma Metro north–south corridor, with the panel warning the road tunnel could prove redundant without credible modal-shift analysis.
- Traffic assessment lacked primary field surveys, produced unverifiable projections, and paired a 2041 horizon with a 3+3 lane design where available data indicate 2+2 lanes.
- Environmental and design concerns include a proposed shaft inside Lalbagh, congestion risks from ramps near Mekhri Circle, stormwater changes by Hebbal Lake, and gaps in costing and procurement such as a single-vendor TBM estimate.
- The experts urged the state to commission a new DPR with thorough investigations and stakeholder engagement, while DULT’s earlier review recommended a fresh feasibility aligned with Bengaluru’s mobility and climate plans.