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Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
India's most expensive road? Tejasvi Surya slams ₹18,500 cr tunnel plan in Bengaluru as ‘corruption project'
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has launched a scathing attack on the proposed ₹18,500 crore Bengaluru Tunnel Road project, calling it "India's most expensive road per kilometre" and a "world-class corruption project" by the Congress-led state government. Public scrutiny over the proposed ₹ 18,500 crore underground tunnel network project in Bengaluru has intensified, with experts calling for development of sustainable mass transit systems instead. (Representational image)(unsplash) ALSO READ | Bengaluru vs Singapore: Zoho's Sridhar Vembu on what it takes to make Indian cities livable Surya alleged the tunnel is a vanity scheme meant to benefit just 10 per cent of car-owning elites in posh areas like Sadashivnagar and Koramangala, while 90 per cent of Bengalureans continue to struggle with inadequate public transport. 'This is perhaps only going to benefit the crorepatis of Sadashivnagar & Koramangala 4th block & not the common man,' he wrote. ALSO READ | Bengaluru tunnel road between Hebbal and Silk Board to be toll-based, says DK Shivakumar One of his key allegations were that the tunnel road network would serve fewer people. IISc data shows a metro can carry over 25,000 people per hour, while the proposed tunnel serves only 600 to 1,600 people an hour, he wrote in a social media post on X. ALSO READ | Tunnel vs transit: Bengaluru's infrastructure debate on social media heats up amid traffic woes He also termed the feasibility report as 'bogus', claiming that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) - the city's civic administrative agency - allegedly spent ₹9.5 crore on a feasibility study riddled with 'irregularities' — including outdated photos and even references to traffic data from Maharashtra. He then called on the outrageous costs, saying that the underground project would be more expensive than the Mumbai Coastal Road, Atal Tunnel, and even the Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway, priced at ₹18,500 crore for just 18 km. 'Will they build it with golden bricks?' he wrote. See his post here: Calling it a 'vanity project', Surya vowed to oppose the plan in courts, streets, and Parliament, demanding investment in mass transit solutions instead.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Socialism failed spectacularly in India': Zoho's Sridhar Vembu on why the word should be removed from Constitution
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has questioned the relevance of socialism in India's Constitution, advocating for its removal. This follows similar calls from RSS figures for a national debate on the inclusion of 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble, added during the Emergency. However, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed secularism as a core part of the Constitution's basic structure. Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein. More
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Zoho's Sridhar Vembu on how to make Indian cities livable like Singapore that limits car ownership through certificates
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has called for building extensive public transport networks across Indian cities to make them more livable, citing Singapore as a successful model that limits car ownership through policy innovation. 'I want to add that Singapore, one of the most advanced economies in the world and one of the most livable cities, relies extensively on public transport,' Vembu wrote on X. 'Singapore also limits the number of private cars through the mechanism of open market trading of Certificate of Entitlement (COE), which is required to own a car. The certificate itself can cost over SGD 100,000—on top of the car's price. Indian cities are far denser than Singapore. We have to build extensive public transport to make our cities livable. It can be done.' Vembu's remarks came in response to a post by MP Tejasvi Surya , who criticised the Karnataka government's Rs 18,500 crore tunnel road project in Bengaluru . Surya argued that the project serves only the top 10% of car owners while neglecting mass transit needs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Domchanch: 1 Trick to Reduce Belly Fat? Home Fitness Hack Shop Now Undo 'The Rs 18,500 crore tunnel road is a deadweight on Bengaluru,' Surya said. 'What the city actually needs are: 16,580 BMTC buses by 2031 (we have just 6,800 now) 317 km Metro by 2031 (only 78 km operational today) Yellow Line has been ready for four years but remains unopened. Over 20 flyover and road projects are stalled. Instead of addressing these issues, CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar are pushing a vanity project that serves the few, not the many.' In June, the Karnataka cabinet approved two major underground tunnel corridors under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. Private players will recover costs through tolls collected over 30 years. Deputy CM Shivakumar said global tenders would be floated 'in the next two or three days.' According to the project's detailed report, the 16.6 km tunnel from Esteem Mall in Hebbal to Silk Board Junction will cut travel time from 90 minutes to 45. Entry/exit ramps are proposed at Mehkri Circle, Race Course, and Lalbagh. The estimated toll for cars is Rs 330. Other proposed tolls include: Live Events Hebbal–Sarjapur/HSR Layout (16.3 km): Rs 320 Hebbal–Hosur Main Road (12.7 km): Rs 250 Hebbal–Seshadri Road (9 km): Rs 180 Mehkri Circle–Silk Board (12.5 km): Rs 245 Tolls are expected to rise annually by 5% (based on WPI), capped at 40%. Vembu's post prompted responses from several users on X. One asked, 'Sir, will the Indian public even accept something like Singapore's car ownership certification model? More importantly, do our policymakers even think in that direction?' Another user commented, 'Sridhar Sir, come to Delhi and I'll show you how car manufacturers shape public transport policy. Every day, at least 10,000 cars leave Delhi for Gurgaon—just to get to Cyber City. Why isn't there a direct Metro line from Delhi to Gurgaon? That's the real question.' A third user wrote, 'People often mistake public infrastructure for just bigger roads and bridges. But real infrastructure means building world-class public transport that even the elite prefer to use.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Follow Singapore: Zoho's Sridhar Vembu shares how making cars costlier by Rs 67 lakh can solve Bengaluru-like traffic woes
Check full text here — svembu (@svembu) Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Highlighting the urgent need for sustainable urban planning in India, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu pointed to Singapore as a model for balancing livability and mobility. He noted that despite being one of the most advanced economies and most livable cities in the world, Singapore relies heavily on public transport and strictly limits private car ownership through its Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system—where the certificate alone can cost over SGD 100,000, excluding the vehicle price. The response was in reply to BJP MP Tejasvi Surya's post on Rs 17,780 crore project to build a 16-kilometre road tunnel under Bengaluru, aiming to reduce travel time between Bengaluru's northern and southern parts.I want to add that Singapore, one of the most advanced economies in the world and one of the most livable cities, relies extensively on public transport. Singapore also limits the number of private cars through the mechanism of open market trading of Certificate of Entitlement (COE) needed to own a car and the certificate costs more than Singapore $100K (and the car price is on top of that). Indian cities are far more dense than Singapore. We have to build extensive public transport to make our cities livable. It can be done."We can build more cities and developed small cities in big cities, we have too many small cities which can be upgraded. We just need to move people from big cities to small cities and then villages," said one user."Sir, will it be acceptable to Indian public if something like Singapore model of private car ownership is implemented in India? May be the question to ask is, does our policy makers think about it in first place?" said another proposed tunnel will run from Esteem Mall in Hebbal Junction to Central Silk Board Junction in HSR Layout. According to officials, the tunnel is expected to bring down travel time from around 60 minutes to 20–25 minutes. It will be constructed using eight Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) at a depth of 30 work will be divided into two equal phases:Phase 1: Esteem Mall to Seshadri RoadPhase 2: Seshadri Road to Silk Board JunctionThe tunnel will include two- or three-lane entry and exit points at various locations. Construction is likely to take 26 months, followed by 12 more months for civil and related work.
National Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Shadow AI as a Strategic Advantage: ManageEngine Report Points the Way Forward
Article content 97% of IT Decision Makers See Significant Risks of Shadow AI, While 91% of Employees See No Risk, Little Risk, or Risk That's Outweighed by Reward Article content AUSTIN, Texas — ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, today released its report, The Shadow AI Surge in Enterprises: Insights from the U.S. and Canadian Workplace. Based on a survey of IT decision makers (ITDMs) and business employees, the report investigates the rise of shadow AI—unauthorized AI tools used for work—and identifies critical gaps that organizations need to close if they want to reduce the risks of shadow AI and turn it into a strategic advantage. Article content The rise: 60% of employees are using unapproved AI tools more than they were a year ago, and 93% of employees admit to inputting information into AI tools without approval. The risks: 63% of ITDMs see data leakage or exposure as the primary risk of shadow AI. Conversely, 91% of employees think shadow AI poses no risk, not much risk, or some risk that's outweighed by reward. The rewards: Summarizing notes or calls (55%), brainstorming (55%), and analyzing data or reports (47%) are the top tasks employees complete with shadow AI. Generative AI text tools (73%), AI writing tools (60%), and code assistants (59%) are the top AI tools ITDMs have approved for employee use. Article content 'Shadow AI represents both the greatest governance risk and the biggest strategic opportunity in the enterprise,' said Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, director of AI research at ManageEngine. 'Organizations that will thrive are those that address the security threats and reframe shadow AI as a strategic indicator of genuine business needs. IT leaders must shift from playing defense to proactively building transparent, collaborative, and secure AI ecosystems that employees feel empowered to use.' Article content Identifying the Shadow AI Gaps Article content To turn the use of shadow AI from a liability into a strategic advantage, IT leaders need to close the gaps in education, visibility, and governance revealed by the report. Specifically, a lack of education around AI model training, safe user behavior, and organizational impact is driving systematic misuse. Blind spots continue to grow in organizations, even as IT teams move to approve and integrate AI tools as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, shadow AI proliferates due to inadequate enforcement of established governance policies. Article content 85% of ITDMs report that employees are adopting AI tools faster than their IT teams can assess them. 32% of employees entered confidential client data into AI tools without confirming company approval, while 37% entered private, internal company data. 53% of ITDMs say employees' use of personal devices for work-related AI tasks is creating a blind spot in their organization's security posture. Only 54% of ITDMs report their organizations have implemented clear, enforced AI governance policies and actively monitor for unauthorized use, while 91% have implemented policies overall. Article content Proactively managing AI means harnessing employee initiative while maintaining security. It delivers the business value discovered in shadow AI but does so via AI tools that are approved by IT. To that end, ITDMs and employees make several strategic recommendations in the report. Article content 63% of ITDMs advise integrating approved AI tools into standard workflows and business applications, 60% suggest implementing clear policies on acceptable AI use, and 55% suggest establishing a list of vetted and approved tools. 66% of employees recommend setting clear policies that are fair and practical, 63% recommend providing official tools that are relevant to their tasks, and 60% advise providing better education on understanding the risks. Article content 'Shadow AI is a fatal flaw for most organizations,' said Sathish Sagayaraj Joseph, regional technical head at ManageEngine. 'IT teams can't manage risk they can't see—and they can't enable business value that users won't divulge. Proactive AI management unites IT and business professionals in their pursuit of common, organizational goals. That means employees are equipped to understand and avoid AI-related risks, and IT is empowered to help them use AI in ways that drive real business outcomes.' The full report, The Shadow AI Surge in Enterprises: Insights from the U.S. and Canadian Workplace, is available for download here. Article content Survey Methodology Article content In May 2025, ManageEngine commissioned independent market research agency Censuswide to conduct a study of 350 ITDMs and 350 working professionals across the U.S. and Canada, employed in organizations with at least 500 employees and $10M in annual revenue. The survey explored AI usage patterns, security concerns, and governance gaps, with a focus on real-world behaviors across organizations of varying sizes and industries. Article content About ManageEngine Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contact Article content Article content Ahana Vissa Article content Article content Article content
