Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar seeks ₹1.5 lakh crore Central aid for upgrading Bengaluru infrastructure

Amid the much-awaited inauguration of Namma Metro’s Yellow Line by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Bengaluru Development Minister, has made a pitch for massive Central assistance to overhaul the city’s infrastructure.

In a formal letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Shivakumar requested funding to the tune of ₹1.5 lakh crore for a series of large-scale, high-priority projects. Emphasising Bengaluru’s role as India’s technology capital and the nation’s second-largest tax contributor, he pointed out to the urgent need to address mounting urban pressures, such as severe traffic congestion, depleting water resources, and inadequate waste management systems.

A major component of the proposal is the creation of five semi-high-speed Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors, modelled on the Delhi–Meerut “Namo Bharat” network. The suggested routes include Bengaluru–Bidadi–Mysuru, Bengaluru–Harohalli–Kanakapura, Bengaluru–Nelamangala–Tumakuru, Bengaluru–Airport–Chickballapur, and Bengaluru–Hoskote–Kolar.

Other big-ticket initiatives outlined in the letter include the construction of two urban tunnels and elevated corridors along former national highways at a cost of ₹41,780 crore, development of arterial road corridors at ₹15,000 crore, the long-pending Peripheral Ring Road project at ₹27,000 crore, and four integrated solid waste management plants at ₹3,200 crore.

The State also plans to expand the Namma Metro network by an additional 128 km under Phases 3 and 3A, introducing five new corridors. Further, it has proposed the creation of more than 40 km of double-decker elevated roads similar to the Silk Board–Ragigudda stretch on routes, such as J.P. Nagar–Hebbal and Hosahalli–Kadabagere, at a cost of ₹8,916 crore.

Additional demands include building 300 km of roads along stormwater drains at a cost of ₹3,000 crore and implementing the sixth stage of the Cauvery Water Supply Scheme at ₹6,939 crore.

Mr. Shivakumar appealed to the Centre to extend funding on par with the support provided to Delhi, arguing that such assistance is crucial to ensuring sustainable growth, enhancing Bengaluru’s liveability, and maintaining its global competitiveness. “We request the Union government to extend funding support to Bengaluru on par with Delhi, enabling the city to emerge as a global city,” he stated in the letter.