<p>An IISc team has flagged a potential flood threat from Bengaluru’s proposed Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road project and submitted a report to the Governor, urging authorities to reconsider the project over safety and technical concerns.</p><img><p>A six-member team of experts from the Department of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), led by Prof. Ashish Verma, has submitted a detailed report to the Governor, calling for the immediate scrapping of the Hebbal Tunnel Road Project in Bengaluru.</p><p>The experts have raised concerns about the proposed project and urged the authorities to reconsider its implementation. They have called for the project to be scrapped immediately, citing concerns that they believe require careful consideration before any further steps are taken.</p><img><p>The team, which conducted a comprehensive study of the proposed tunnel routes from Hebbal to Mekri Circle and from Hebbal to Silk Board, has explained to the Governor in detail the serious problems that could arise from the project.</p><p>According to the report, rather than resolving the existing traffic problems, the tunnel road could worsen congestion at the ends of Mekri Circle and the Hebbal flyover. The team has warned that the project could lead to further traffic bottlenecks in these areas.</p><img><p>As Hebbal is located in a low-lying area, there is a risk of flooding along the tunnel route during the rainy season. This could cause significant damage to Hebbal Lake and the surrounding public parks.</p><p>The construction cost has already increased to six times the original project estimate, raising concerns over the potential wastage of public funds.</p><img><p>The heavy toll proposed for the route could place a significant financial burden on common citizens, potentially making the road accessible mainly to the affluent.</p><p>The team expressed dissatisfaction over the project receiving an ‘E’ and ‘F’ rating based on its scientific analysis. It also questioned how the government could have invited tenders for the project without adequate technical preparations.</p><img><p>For these reasons, the IISc team has appealed to the Governor to take action to cancel the tender issued by the government and scrap the entire project in the public interest.</p><p>It remains to be seen what action will be taken on the appeal in the coming days.</p>
