Could Tejasvi Surya Solve All of Bengaluru’s Issues If Given Dy CM Shivakumar’s Powers for a Year?

Bengaluru, July 14 (NationPress) - Tejasvi Surya, the National President of the BJP Yuva Morcha and MP for Bengaluru South, has issued a challenge to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also responsible for Bengaluru's development, to transfer his powers for one year. Surya boldly claims he could resolve all of the city’s ongoing issues within that timeframe.

During a media briefing, Surya expressed his strong opposition to the proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru, branding it a money-making scheme orchestrated by the Congress-led government.

Surya quoted Shivakumar, who had previously said that even divine intervention wouldn’t solve Bengaluru’s problems. He asserted, “God need not come. What is needed is honest leadership with the will to resolve issues.”

“If I were to receive all the powers currently held by Dy CM Shivakumar for just one year, I could address all of Bengaluru’s challenges. It only takes one year. However, the Congress government is more focused on looting public funds—specifically, Rs 46,000 crore through this tunnel project,” he accused.

“For nearly two and a half years since Congress took power in Karnataka, no city has suffered as much neglect as Bengaluru,” he stated.

Despite being a major revenue generator and economic hub, the quality of life in Bengaluru has significantly declined, Surya highlighted. He criticized the Congress government for treating the city as a cash cow for their own political gain.

Surya made comparisons, noting the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, which is 119 km long and was built at a cost of Rs 8,500 crore. In contrast, the Atal Tunnel in Jammu, measuring 9 km and carved through the Himalayas, cost Rs 3,000 crore. “Yet, for a tunnel from Sadashivanagar to Dairy Circle in Bengaluru, they are demanding Rs 1,500 crore per kilometer. What is going on here?” he questioned, criticizing the exorbitant costs associated with the tunnel project.

“What type of machinery are they using in Bengaluru that results in such inflated costs? Is the terrain here more challenging than the Himalayas?” he inquired, directing his anger at the government.

Further illustrating his point, Surya referenced the Mumbai Coastal Road, which spans 30 kilometers with a 2.5 km undersea component, completed for Rs 13,000 crore. “There’s no sea in Bengaluru, no major lakes, yet the tunnel project is more expensive per kilometer than that,” he noted.

He also mentioned the K.R. Puram-Silk Board Metro corridor, which is 18 km long with 13 stations and was finished at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore. “This project has reduced traffic by 17 percent and serves 8 lakh daily users. In contrast, the tunnel project offers no benefits to anyone,” he remarked.

Surya also pointed to a national highway project inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, connecting Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, which runs 665 kilometers and includes around 30 tunnels in mountainous areas, completed for Rs 18,000 crore.

“But here, they require Rs 20,000 crore for an 18-km tunnel stretch? What materials are they using—gold? What kind of steel? This is outright robbery,” he said.

Surya accused the tunnel project of merely benefitting the Congress party financially. “This is economic apartheid. Only cars will be allowed on the road—autos, buses, and two-wheelers will be excluded. The government is hastily issuing tenders simply to steal public funds,” he claimed.

“They view Bengaluru as a source for personal and party funds, not as a city that deserves genuine development. This government has contributed nothing significant to the city,” he criticized.

Labeling the tunnel road proposal as a symbol of corruption, Surya insisted, “This project must be rejected on all grounds—principally, procedurally, and scientifically.”

He also pointed out that the state government is allocating Rs 7,500 crore in subsidies for the tunnel project. “This is taxpayer money,” he emphasized.

Surya raised concerns about insufficient public transport, noting that approximately 72 percent of travelers to Bengaluru airport rely on private vehicles due to ineffective public transport options. According to the Comprehensive Mobility Plan, Bengaluru needs 16,580 buses, but there is a shortfall of 9,000.

He concluded by stating that for a sustainable future, Bengaluru’s Metro network should extend to 317 km by 2031, enabling commuters to access destinations within 7-8 minutes. “Currently, only 78 km of Metro lines exist. No further progress has been made. The Yellow Line is nearly finished but has been waiting for inauguration for four years. Yet, the government remains obsessed with this Rs 46,000 crore tunnel project,” Surya added.

BJP State General Secretary P. Rajeev, State Secretary Ambika Hulinaykar, and BJP Yuva Morcha State President and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju were also in attendance at the press conference.