Park Bill: Move aimed at facilitating takeover of Lalbagh land for Tunnel Road, say environmentalists, city BJP MPs

Amendment Sparks Outcry

The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared a bill to amend the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975, permitting up to 5% of parks and garden lands to be alienated for public purposes. The move has drawn sharp criticism from citizen groups, environmentalists, and BJP MPs representing Bengaluru, who see it as a threat to the city's green spaces.

Tejasvi Surya, the BJP MP from Bengaluru South, took to social media to oppose the reported Cabinet decision, alleging that it could allow diversion of park land for public infrastructure and utility projects. In a post on X, Surya urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to reconsider the amendment, saying, "Parks are not real-estate assets. They are vital public, ecological and intergenerational assets that must be protected."

Surya stressed that iconic green spaces such as Lalbagh and Cubbon Park, along with thousands of other parks across Karnataka, must remain protected and should not be opened up for commercial or real estate projects. He also alleged that the proposed amendment was aimed at facilitating projects such as the Tunnel Road by circumventing proceedings before the Karnataka High Court.

Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra echoed these concerns, alleging that the move would lead to the "plunder" of public parks and benefit real estate interests. He accused the government of attempting to allow the sale, exchange, gifting, or mortgaging of around 5% of parkland across the state, including Bengaluru.

The Tunnel Road Connection

Environmentalists and citizens have alleged that the amendment is specifically intended to facilitate the 17.1-km Bengaluru North-South Twin Tunnel Road, which runs from Hebbal to Central Silk Board Junction. Dattatreya T. Devare, an environmental activist, told The Hindu that laws were being amended to defend the case against the tunnel project in the High Court of Karnataka, which is hearing a batch of three public interest litigations challenging the project.

"The petitioners have raised objections to the Tunnel Road project based on a review of the ambit of the existing laws, including the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975. Now this law is being amended. This move is purely to escape from the petitions against both the long and short tunnels," Devare said.

He expressed concern that opposition to the proposed projects is being ignored or defeated through amendments, citing the recent reduction of buffer zones along drains to accommodate roads.

The High Court, on July 16, directed the government that the fate of the Tunnel Road project would be dependent on the outcome of the court case.

BJP MPs' Opposition

Tejasvi Surya further stated that the tunnel project would pass through Lalbagh and require around 1.92 hectares (nearly five acres) for the tunnel and shaft. The Detailed Project Report also proposes parking and a commercial complex around the shaft, he said.

P.C. Mohan, the BJP MP from Bengaluru Central, termed the bill "a dangerous assault on Bengaluru's green spaces" and announced that the BJP would oppose it.

Unclear Legislative Path

It is not yet clear whether the bill will be tabled in the ongoing Karnataka Legislature Session. The controversy underscores the tensions between urban infrastructure development and environmental preservation, with critics demanding that park land be protected from what they see as commercial interests.