The Singapore dream is back again. It is now the turn of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is planning to lead a delegation of senior officials on an official visit to Singapore to gain insights into the construction and implementation of tunnel roads. The purpose of the visit, as reported by Deccan Herald, is to acquire firsthand knowledge about Singapore's tunnel road infrastructure.
The scheduled visit to Singapore will take place either before the budget session's conclusion on July 14 or immediately after. The aspiration to replicate Singapore's success story in Bengaluru has been a longstanding endeavour for the city. This pursuit can be traced back to the late 1990s, during the tenure of former Chief Minister SM Krishna and the then Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) chief, Jaykar Jerome. The Singapore model has consistently served as a source of inspiration for Bengaluru's urban development aspirations. In 2001, SM Krishna acknowledged that unless crucial measures were taken, such as cleaning up stormwater drains and implementing comprehensive slum development plans, Singapore's achievement would remain an elusive goal for Bengaluru.
Rajkumar Dugar, a mobility expert, highlighted the need to focus on improving existing public transportation before considering tunnel roads. He told TNM, "The first step should be to make sure the low-hanging fruits in terms of public transportation are made good. The BMTC fleet is poor, and the feeder bus services to metro stations have to be increased. We already have the locally available infrastructure, which is not being leveraged for commute and that needs to be done. We have almost 70 existing railway stations that need to be leveraged." Rajkumar emphasised the importance of improving traffic and safety at junctions, as well as enhancing pedestrian and cyclist access on city roads.
Rajkumar further expressed concerns about the feasibility of tunnel construction in Bengaluru, citing the city's hard rock surface as a significant challenge. He noted that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is already facing difficulties digging through these surfaces for ongoing metro projects. Given the current state of public transportation in the city, Rajkumar questioned the priority of focusing on tunnels. "Tunnels through Bengaluru is not a cakewalk. The rock under Bengaluru's surface is hard. When the city's public transportation is pathetic, talking about tunnels seems premature," he said.