BJP leader R Ashoka has strongly opposed the proposed ₹26,000 crore Bengaluru Tunnel Road Project, alleging that it poses a significant threat to the city's historic Lalbagh Botanical Garden. In a social media post titled “Lalbagh in Danger – Courtesy DCM DK Shivakumar’s Tunnel Madness!”, Ashoka claimed that the project would result in the loss of nearly six acres of Lalbagh land, the cutting of thousands of trees, and irreversible damage to the park’s fragile ecosystem.

The tunnel project aims to create a 28-kilometre underground corridor linking Hebbal in the north to Central Silk Board Junction in the south, with multiple entry and exit points, including near Mekhri Circle, Palace Grounds, Lalbagh, and Dairy Circle. While the project intends to alleviate surface traffic congestion, it has faced criticism from various quarters. Ashoka questioned the state government's persistence despite objections from experts and civic groups, accusing them of disregarding Bengaluru's identity and environment.