R. Puram to Mehkri Circle, at Hebbal in Bengaluru. | Under the EPC mode, a single contractor will handle the project’s design, procurement, and construction.
A file photo of the Hebbal loop flyover connecting K.R. Puram to Mehkri Circle, at Hebbal in Bengaluru. | Under the EPC mode, a single contractor will handle the project’s design, procurement, and construction. While tenders for the project have recently been finalised, the estimated construction cost alone has already risen by ₹53 crore. Officials said the project was shifted to the EPC mode for faster execution and as the government of Karnataka wants greater control over the project, unlike hybrid models where private players are involved in financing and long-term operations. Karnataka Chief Minister lays foundation stone for Hebbal short tunnel project“Under EPC, the government of Karnataka can fund the project directly. The mode also reduces delays linked to revenue-sharing, toll recovery, or financial closure,” the official said, adding that given the complexities involved in tunnelling work, the EPC model was considered administratively simpler and easier to execute. The construction was earlier estimated to cost ₹1,086 crore, but the figure has now increased to ₹1,139 crore, a senior BDA official overseeing the implementation said, while maintaining that the overall project cost would not balloon further. Recently, Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar announced that Hyderabad-based Rithwik Projects Private Limited, which quoted ₹1,139 crore for the project, had emerged as the successful bidder.Questions remain unansweredHowever, both the BDA, which is spearheading the project to decongest traffic on Ballari Road, and BSMILE, the special purpose vehicle involved in planning the project, are yet to respond to the concerns raised by the State Finance Department. Sources from the Finance Department said that they will again write to the Urban Development Department, seeking a response on their concerns. The Finance Department had questioned how such an expensive project – described as a ‘quick fix’ by the B-SMILE — can be justified. To this, the SPV had argued that the short tunnel would serve as a quick fix to the proposed long tunnel project, and help decongest traffic on Ballari Road. The Finance Department suggested constructing a surface road, arguing that it could be completed faster and at nearly one-tenth the cost of the tunnel. The department has also raised objections over claims that the project would ease congestion, arguing that it may simply shift traffic bottlenecks elsewhere.The BDA maintained that road widening is not possible on the stretch, and that the short tunnel would help decongest traffic up to the airport road. Officials said that the successful bidder has begun an alignment survey to determine the exact route and engineering configuration of the tunnel, including its entry and exit points, depth, land requirements, and possible impact on existing roads and nearby infrastructure, before construction begins. Published - May 26, 2026 09:10 am IST
A child is administered polio drops at a Pulse Polio centre. | Raju Ahead of the Pulse Polio programme scheduled from Sunday (June 28, 2026), an awareness rally was held in Tirupati on Saturday morning. District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) V. Balakrishna Naik and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) State Wing Deputy Director A.T. Ramanatha Rao flagged off the rally.Speaking on the occasion, District Pulse Polio Observer Ramanatha Rao said polio drops must be administered to all children under the age of five during the programme. The drops would be given at 1,937 centres across the district on Sunday, and the staff would conduct door-to-door visits on Monday (June 29, 2026) and Tuesday (June 30, 2026).The DMHO said, “In addition to routine vaccinations, two extra polio drops must be administered to all children aged five years and under, including newborns. Parents were urged to ensure their children receive these two polio drops at the nearest centre, regardless of whether they are travelling or currently in a hospital. Everyone must actively strive towards building a polio-free society.”The rally proceeded from the DMHO office to S.V. Medical College, with slogans such as ‘Two polio drops for a full life’, ‘Administer polio drops, eradicate polio’ and ‘Two polio drops, protection for the child against polio’. A human chain was then formed at S.V. Medical College, and a pledge taken to build a polio-free society. Published - June 28, 2026 12:23 pm IST
The Telangana government has imposed limits on the slab area that can be constructed under the Indiramma Indlu housing scheme, aiming to prevent cost escalation and ensure beneficiaries complete their houses without falling into debt.In an order issued on Saturday, the government said the decision was taken following a proposal from the Telangana Housing Corporation Limited (TGHCL), which observed that many beneficiaries were extending reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slabs well beyond the approved building plans.According to the order, beneficiaries had been extending slab projections by between three and eight feet, substantially increasing construction costs. This was forcing many families to borrow from private lenders or abandon construction midway due to financial constraints, defeating the objective of providing affordable housing to shelterless poor families. Under the revised guidelines, the government has permitted slab extensions of up to three feet on the front side and one foot on each of the remaining three sides. As a result, the slab area for a 600-square-foot plinth cannot exceed 750 square feet, while a 400-square-foot plinth will be limited to a maximum slab area of 500 square feet.The new guidelines will apply prospectively to beneficiaries whose houses are at the roof level, basement level, grounding stage or have not yet been grounded. Published - June 27, 2026 09:55 pm IST
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