Bengaluru Plagiarism Scandal: Did BBMP Base Tunnel Road, Flyovers On Copy-Paste Data?

Last Updated:March 25, 2026, 12:24 IST

The concern is significant because the report has been used to propose large-scale infrastructure projects, including a controversial 40-km tunnel road and 14 flyovers

Serious questions have emerged over the credibility of Bengaluru’s long-term traffic planning, with allegations that a key feasibility report used to shape major projects like tunnel roads and flyovers may have relied on copied data rather than fresh analysis.

According to a report by Deccan Herald, the 2024 Comprehensive Bengaluru City Traffic Management Infrastructure Plan — prepared for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) — is under scrutiny for alleged plagiarism.

The concern is particularly significant because the report has been used to propose a slate of large-scale infrastructure projects, including a controversial 40-km tunnel road and a network of 14 flyovers.

In contrast, the earlier Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) study from which data is suspected to have been reused had focused on more immediate, lower-cost interventions such as traffic management improvements and strengthening public transport.

The New Indian Express also reported that the feasibility study, prepared by Altinok Consulting Engineering Inc, appears to contain duplicated traffic data across multiple major corridors such as Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road and Hosur Road. Similar repetitions were flagged in junction-level data for JC Road, Old Madras Road and Kanakapura Road, raising concerns about the authenticity of the analysis.

The data is believed to mirror findings from an earlier study — the 2020 Corridor Improvement Plans report prepared for BMRCL. Not just traffic volumes, but even elements like speed and delay surveys appear to have been reused, calling into question whether fresh, ground-level assessments were conducted at all.

Urban mobility expert Satya Arikutharam says the extent of duplication points to “acute plagiarism", with tables, images and text seemingly lifted from older reports. He warned that this undermines the scientific basis of major infrastructure proposals, particularly those that prioritise car-centric solutions like tunnel roads.

The issue has also sparked concerns over public spending. The feasibility report is estimated to have cost around Rs 5.5 crore, prompting questions about how such a document was approved and paid for without detecting these overlaps.

The controversy comes on the heels of earlier allegations involving a separate Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the tunnel road project, reportedly costing Rs 9.5 crore, which was also flagged for containing copied material. That report was later taken down from official platforms, according to The New Indian Express.

Activists have criticised what they describe as a pattern of relying on recycled data to push through large infrastructure projects. They argue that such practices risk misrepresenting ground realities and could lead to decisions that may not serve the public interest.

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