Opposition BJP leaders have pointed out that the final DPR of the 16.75-km twin tube tunnel road project appears to have dropped the dedicated bus lane mentioned in the draft DPR. (File)Even as public transport advocates have been campaigning for dedicated bus lanes across the city, the Hebbal-Silk Board Tunnel Road project in Bengaluru has come under the scanner for allegedly dropping such a lane in a bid to improve traffic flow.Mobility experts as well as Opposition BJP leaders have pointed out that the final Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the 16.75-km twin tube tunnel road project appears to have dropped the dedicated bus lane mentioned in the draft DPR.Criticising the Congress-led Karnataka government on the issue on Monday, Bangalore Central MP and BJP leader PC Mohan said, “Tunnel road final DPR quietly drops bus lanes, once again making it clear that the tunnel is only for those rich people who can afford ₹660 toll, not for the common Bengalurean. On one hand, they talk of free bus rides; on the other, they erase bus infrastructure itself,” he posted on X.“How many Bengalureans can actually afford ₹660 a day? That’s nearly ₹20,000 a month just to use this tunnel. This is not public infrastructure but a private expressway for the privileged, funded by taxpayers. It is a discriminatory, exclusionary, and anti–public transport move,” Mohan added.According to page 195 in the final DPR, a diagram showing the ‘lane open cut section’ of the tunnel road indicates three lanes, including two driving lanes (for cars) and one emergency lane (for emergency vehicles) in the twin tube tunnels. However, in the draft DPR of the project, on page 171, the diagram shows two lanes (for cars) and another lane for buses/emergency vehicle services.A dedicated bus priority lane has been a long-pending demand of public transport enthusiasts in Bengaluru. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) launched a bus priority lane (BPL) in November 2019 as part of a pilot phase that aimed to reduce traffic congestion and enhance the efficiency of public transport. It also aimed to cut down travel time on BMTC buses from 70 minutes to 50-55 minutes, saving close to 20 minutes for commuters along Outer Ring Road (ORR).Proposal for bi-articulated trolleybusesFurther, the draft DPR also mentions the proposal of bi-articulated trolleybuses – an electric bus that operates by drawing power from overhead wires using two trolley poles, allowing it to move without the need for traditional fuel sources, like diesel. However, the report does not clarify who operates these trolley buses and whether BMTC was consulted before the option was proposed. Interestingly, the bi-articulated trolleybuses are not part of the final DPR.Story continues below this adSpeaking to The Indian Express, B S Prahallad, technical director of Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE), said public transport will be prioritised under the tunnel road project. “A dedicated bus lane infrastructure is part of the plan. However, we will still conduct a few studies, including traffic analysis, to design and finalise the bus lane in the tunnel road project.”Satya Arikutharam, an urban mobility expert, said there seems to be no clarity at all regarding the scope of the tunnel road project. “The draft DPR had proposed an electric trolley bus-based system which the final DPR has dropped. A patently bad proposal has now become worse. The DPR has numerous flaws and is unreliable and unviable. It’s a costly distraction that hurts Bengaluru’s public transport-based sustainable mobility goals,” he said.Arikutharam pointed out that in the draft DPR, “the level of service was stated as D (meaning more congestion) with a dedicated bus lane and providing only two lanes for cars. Now, in the final DPR, by dropping the dedicated bus lane from the design, all three lanes can be occupied by cars, which will improve the level of service to B (meaning less congestion). I urge the government to drop the car-only tunnel road proposal and focus on completing the Metro and suburban rail network.”Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd