Government assures High Court: no trees will be felled in Lalbagh for Hebbal–Silk Board tunnel project

Bengaluru : The Karnataka government on Monday informed the High Court that no trees in Lalbagh Botanical Garden will be cut for the proposed twin tunnel project aimed at easing traffic congestion between Hebbal and Silk Board junctions.

The clarification came during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by actor and activist Prakash Belawadi, who sought cancellation of the tender process initiated for the massive underground road project.

The division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale (note: Kannada mentions Justice Vibhu Bakhru — assumed currently Chief Justice of Karnataka HC after transfer) and Justice C.M. Poonacha asked the state whether any trees were being cut inside Lalbagh for the tunnel construction. Responding, Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty said categorically that no trees would be felled for the project.

Following the submission, the bench recorded the government’s statement and said, “Since the State has clarified that no trees will be cut in Lalbagh, there is no need for an interim order at this stage.”

Court schedules next hearing for December 9:

During the hearing, MP Tejasvi Surya, who represented the petitioner, argued that although the tunnel proposal remains only on paper, the government has already initiated the tender process, raising concerns about premature administrative decisions.

The bench observed that a similar PIL on the same issue is also pending and has been scheduled for hearing on December 9. “In that case too, the government has stated that no trees in Lalbagh will be felled. Both matters will be heard together,” the bench said, directing the State to file its objections and detailed reply before the next hearing date.

Background of the case:

The dispute pertains to the proposed tunnel road project connecting Hebbal to Silk Board, part of a mega traffic decongestion plan for Bengaluru. Petitioner Prakash Belawadi has challenged the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and tender notification issued by the government, alleging that the plan involves acquiring 6.5 acres of Lalbagh land — regarded as the city’s “green lung.”

During previous hearings, the petitioner’s counsel contended that the project could threaten a 3,000-year-old geological rock formation inside Lalbagh, which has been declared a National Geological Monument. They argued that any underground work in the area could cause irreversible environmental and geological damage.

The tunnel proposal, expected to span roughly 21 kilometers, is part of the Bengaluru Subsurface Road Corridor Project, aimed at easing pressure on surface roads. Environmental activists, however, have expressed concerns over potential ecological destruction, groundwater impact, and urban planning violations.

With the government’s latest assurance to the High Court, immediate fears of tree cutting inside Lalbagh have been allayed. The court will continue hearing the larger environmental and procedural aspects of the project in December.

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