Horticulture department gives red signal to Lalbagh tunnel road project
Lalbagh tunnel road project: Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s ambitious Lalbagh Tunnel Road project has hit a major roadblock, with the horticulture department raising serious objections and denying permission to use park land for the project.
Following widespread public protests and political criticism, Lalbagh Director Jagadish submitted a detailed report to the Director of the Horticulture Department warning that the proposed six-acre land acquisition for the tunnel would damage the iconic Lalbagh rock, Kempegowda tower, and hundreds of heritage trees.
The report has recommended that the government take a final decision only after a comprehensive environmental and heritage impact assessment. Citing the 1975 Horticulture Conservation and Management Act, the report clearly states that horticultural land, gardens, or public parks cannot be sold, leased, mortgaged, or licensed for non-garden purposes. Any such violation, it noted, would be deemed illegal and void.
The department’s stand came hours after the opposition BJP intensified its campaign against the project. Senior BJP leader and opposition leader R. Ashok publicly read out portions of the horticulture department’s report during a protest at Lalbagh, accusing the Congress government of endangering Bengaluru’s green heritage for commercial interests.
Meanwhile, civil society groups, environmentalists, and residents continued their “Save Lalbagh” signature campaign on Sunday. Prominent personalities, including actors Sudha Belawadi and Samyukta, joined hundreds of citizens in a peaceful march from Lalbagh’s west gate to the Lalbagh Metro Station. Protesters wearing black and green scarves carried placards reading “Save Bengaluru – Stop the Tunnel Road” and urged the government to scrap the project immediately.
With opposition mounting from experts, activists, and now the horticulture department itself, the fate of the controversial tunnel project remains uncertain.
Also Read: Case filed after alleged gang rape of stray dog in Bellandur
