Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday called Bengaluru a “constantly evolving powerhouse” and said the state is pushing massive upgrades to strengthen the city’s core infrastructure, with investments crossing Rs 1 lakh crore.
Speaking at the opening of the 28th Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025, Shivakumar, who also handles Bengaluru’s development, said the government is working faster than ever to build the physical network the city needs for technology and innovation to grow, according to a PTI report.
Major infrastructure projects underway
The minister highlighted several major infrastructure projects already underway. These include a 40-km twin tunnel network costing Rs 42,500 crore, a 41-km double-decker metro line worth Rs 18,000 crore and 110 km of elevated corridors estimated at Rs 15,000 crore.
Apart from that, ongoing infrastructure projects include a 320 km of buffer roads costing Rs 5,000 crore, the SkyDeck project worth Rs 500 crore and the 74-km Bengaluru Business Corridor planned at Rs 27,000 crore.
What is the sky-deck project?
The Bengaluru sky-deck is a plan to build a 250-metre-tall observation tower that will stand out as a major landmark in the city. The project will offer a full 360-degree view of Bengaluru. The government hopes it will become a major attraction for both tourists and residents. The tower will come up on land owned by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).
What is the Bengaluru business corridor?
The Bengaluru Business Corridor is a major infrastructure plan designed to ease Bengaluru’s traffic and improve connectivity across the entire metropolitan area. The new corridor will link Tumakuru Road to Mysuru Road, passing through key areas like Yelahanka and Electronic City. Deputy CM Shivakumar said it will help reduce congestion and make travel smoother for people across the city.
Bengaluru’s second airport
The Deputy CM also said the government is planning a second airport for the city. Earlier, in March, the government had shortlisted three possible sites for the new international airport – two near Kaggalipura and Harohalli on Kanakapura Road and another on Kunigal Road in north Bengaluru.
Since rules do not allow any new international airport within 150 km of Kempegowda International Airport until 2033, officials have started planning early so the new airport can be ready around that time. They say projects of this scale usually take five to six years to build, so the groundwork has to begin well in advance, according to local media reports.
What is Bengaluru’s ‘AI city’
The minister said that a separate NRI Secretariat will be created to support non-resident Indians and that the state will develop residential layouts and a new world-class township near Bidadi on 9,000 acres, called “AI City”.
The mega project will develop massive 9,000-acre integrated township along with 2,000 acres dedicated to AI industries and related businesses. Planned as Bengaluru’s second central business district, the GBIT area will be a “work-live-play” zone where housing, offices and entertainment spaces all exist together. The idea is to reduce pressure on Bengaluru by shifting a large part of business activity to this new city, while also creating lakhs of jobs for local youth through a local-first hiring policy.
Shivakumar said all these projects together make up investments of more than Rs 1 lakh crore focused only on improving Bengaluru’s infrastructure.
