‘Didn’t know Shivakumar wanted to solve a social problem’: Tejasvi Surya mocks Bengaluru tunnel road project
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday took a swipe at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the controversial tunnel road project in Bengaluru, saying he was under the “wrong impression” that it was meant to ease the city’s traffic.
Surya’s comment came days after he met Shivakumar, where the two discussed alternatives to the proposed tunnel that has dominated civic and political debate.
“For all these days, I was under the wrong impression that the tunnel project was aimed at solving Bengaluru’s traffic problem. Now, DCM has clarified that it is intended to solve a social problem – of people not wanting to marry a man without a car,” Surya posted on X, in a pointed response to Shivakumar’s recent defence of the car-only project.
The Bangalore South MP argued that the plan would barely make a dent in congestion, saying the tunnel could carry only around 1,800 cars per hour in one direction — while a Metro line could move nearly 69,000 passengers in the same time.
“We should focus on moving more people, not more cars,” Surya reportedly said, presenting a proposal for a 300 km Metro network, a 314 km suburban rail corridor, and modern tram services for Bengaluru.
Shivakumar, however, stood firm on his position. “Surya has made some suggestions. He said the tunnel road is mainly for cars and wants the Metro network to be expanded. We have no objection to that,” the Bengaluru Development Minister said, before adding, “But I told him to get more funds from the central government for the Metro. Right now, we receive only 10–12% of the total project cost. I urge all Bengaluru MPs to meet the PM — I’ll join them too.”
Justifying the tunnel project, Shivakumar described private car use as a matter of “social responsibility.” “Can I stop you from bringing your vehicle? People prefer to travel in their own cars with their families. Can we prevent them from doing that?” he said.
It was, however, his next remark that set off the latest controversy. “Today, people even hesitate to marry a boy who doesn’t own a car,” Shivakumar said — a line that quickly made its way into Surya’s X post and turned the infrastructure debate into a viral discussion on Bengaluru’s mix of traffic, class, and social aspiration.
