The Bengaluru tunnel project between Hebbal Junction and the University of Agricultural Sciences has moved closer to an environmental decision, with the Bangalore Development Authority seeking permission to fell 1,128 trees and the Greater Bengaluru Authority inviting public objections and suggestions.
The proposed short tunnel will span 2.2 km along Hebbal road and is planned as a three-lane, bi-directional road underpass. The route will connect Hebbal Junction and the UAS staff quarters through the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University campus area.
The BDA has submitted an application seeking permission to remove the trees required to accommodate the project. The GBA has issued a public notice and given citizens 10 days to submit their objections and suggestions, according to The Hindu’s report. The notice creates a formal channel for responses before the tree-felling permission is considered.
The proposal has drawn sustained opposition from citizen groups, who have raised concerns about the project’s environmental impact. The proposed removal of 1,128 trees is the central issue in the current public consultation, as the trees stand along the road corridor identified for the tunnel and associated works.
Work on the short tunnel project had begun along a service road near Hebbal earlier in September, according to the report. The project’s proposed alignment and construction requirements have since become the focus of public debate over how infrastructure expansion should be balanced with the protection of established urban greenery.
Citizen groups have repeatedly cited the likely environmental consequences of the project. An awareness walk at Hebbal Lake had also been planned to discuss the impact of large infrastructure projects on the environment, but it was cancelled after police intervention through notices, The Hindu reported.
The public notice comes as Bengaluru authorities continue to process a project intended to improve movement through one of the city’s major northern corridors. The proposal involves multiple public institutions and agencies, including the BDA, GBA, KVAFSU and UAS, making the objection process relevant to both the project’s environmental clearance and its implementation.
The immediate next step is the submission of objections and suggestions to the GBA within the 10-day period specified in its notice. The authorities’ decision on the tree-felling application and the project’s subsequent permissions will determine how the proposed underpass proceeds.
