Tender for Rs 17,780-crore Bengaluru tunnel road by February; water tariff hike decision soon: DK Shivakumar

Deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar

Unfazed by public criticism of the proposed tunnel roads, deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister D K Shivakumar on January 28 said the state government would move ahead with the project as planned.

Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said: “I have instructed officials to float the tender for the Rs 17,780 crore tunnel road project by February. I have set a deadline of three years to complete the project. The project will be implemented in two phases, with funding from the government, BBMP, and financial institutions that have shown interest in supporting the initiative.”

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Asked about Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan's letter opposing the project, he said, “The tunnel project will be underground and will not require any additional land.”

Shivakumar also hinted at a possible hike in water tariffs. “I have directed officials to submit a report on the water tariff hike, and a decision will be taken soon. Steps are also being taken to accurately measure water consumption,” he said, after a meeting with officials from BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, and BMRDA at Cauvery Bhavan.

“The water tariff has not been increased since 2014, resulting in BWSSB incurring an annual loss of Rs 1,000 crore. The electricity bill for the board has risen from Rs 35 crore to Rs 75 crore, with monthly losses amounting to Rs 85 crore,” he explained, adding that a tariff hike has become inevitable.

“BWSSB officials have discussed the matter with all Bengaluru MLAs. The board is struggling to raise funds as banks are refusing loans due to mounting losses,” he stated.

He added that the government had allocated Rs 20 crore to provide water to slums and urban poor, but the BJP government had discontinued the scheme. “We will revive that program. However, the water supplied to slums must be measured, even if only a token amount is charged. There is significant misuse of water in many areas. We have formulated a plan to collect accurate data on water consumption citywide. Illegal connections must also be regularized,” he noted.

On the quantum of the water tariff hike, he said, “No decision has been made yet. It will be determined after detailed deliberations. Even for the poor, a token charge of at least one paise per litre is necessary to ensure accurate measurement of water supply.”

Shivakumar assured that there would be no water shortage in Bengaluru this summer. “I have instructed officials to expedite the process of filling tanks to recharge the city’s groundwater,” he said.

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Further, he revealed: “Under the Cauvery 5th stage project, 15,000 new water connections have been issued, and another 20,000 connections are pending. Many apartment complexes have yet to take Cauvery water connections, despite being informed to do so mandatorily.”

He also highlighted the government's action against illegal connections. “Several households and apartments have avoided deposits and fees by using illegal connections. We are taking strict action against such practices. Officials are visiting houses and apartment complexes to encourage people to take Cauvery water connections,” he said.

Asked whether the water tariff hike would burden citizens amid rising prices, Shivakumar remarked, “Our government has reduced electricity tariffs. The current situation is due to rising petrol and diesel prices. Meanwhile, government employees are receiving increased DA. However, BWSSB employees are struggling due to non-payment of salaries.”

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