Karnataka to spend Rs 1 lakh crore to improve Bengaluru’s traffic, says deputy CM DK Shivakumar

Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar has been pushing for his vanity projects—tunnel roads, Skydeck, double-decker (Metro-cum-Road) flyovers, elevated corridors, metro extensions to the outskirts, and an amusement park near the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Mandya.

The Karnataka government will invest Rs 1 lakh crore to address Bengaluru’s traffic congestion, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has said, as the tech hub struggles to keep up with the increasing number of vehicles on its roads.

“These include a 40-km twin tunnel at a cost of Rs 42,500 crore, a 41-km double-decker corridor (road-cum-Metro rail) estimated at Rs 18,000 crore, 110-km elevated corridor costing Rs 15,000 crore, and 320 km of buffer roads with an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore,” Shivakumar said at the Invest Karnataka Global Investors Meet.

A Rs 500-crore Sky Deck project, 74-km Bengaluru Business Corridor, to be built at a cost of Rs 27,000 crore and the development of a second airport are among the steps being taken.

The minister, however, didn’t talk about the expansion of mass transit systems such as the metro buses, or suburban rail.

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Stressing the need to address Bengaluru’s traffic woes, Shivakumar said, "When I was the urban development minister 20 years ago, Bengaluru’s population was 70 lakh. Now, it has grown to 1.40 crore, and the city has 1.10 crore vehicles. We are planning to invest Rs 1 lakh crore to resolve the traffic problem. Bengaluru Business Corridor (PRR) will be a success."

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Shivakumar has been pushing for tunnel roads, skydecks, double-decker flyovers, Metro extensions to the outskirts, and an amusement park near the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Mandya district. However, many existing infrastructure projects in Bengaluru remain stalled.

He also sought greater cooperation from the Centre. "Union minister Piyush Goyal suggested setting up an international centre called ‘Bharat Mandapam’—an International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre—in Bengaluru. We will discuss this with the Chief Minister soon," he added.

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Shivakumar said “Karnataka is not a state of promises, it is a state of delivery”. Every policy, reform or initiative is backed by action. “We don’t just talk about ease of doing business—we make it happen. Our single-window clearance system is fully digital, time-bound, and transparent,” he said. Land acquisition, regulatory approvals, infrastructure support—all is streamlined. The government’s strategy is to create high-value jobs, strengthen supply chains and enable technology-driven enterprises, the deputy CM said.

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