Thousands at Lalbagh protest park amendment Bill and tunnel road project
Thousands of citizens, including children, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), city BJP MPs, and Kannada activists, gathered at Lalbagh on Sunday morning to oppose recent amendments to two laws and the proposed tunnel road project. The protest was led by 91-year-old environmental activist A.N. Yellappa Reddy.
The demonstrators specifically opposed the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which empowers the government to alienate 5% of park land for the tunnel road project that passes below Lalbagh. The Bill has been introduced by the State government to facilitate the project, which is meant to ease traffic congestion in Bengaluru. The project has drawn criticism from environmental groups and opposition parties, who argue that it will damage green spaces and violate due process.
City BJP MPs L.S. Tejasvi Surya, C.N. Manjunath, Shobha Karandlaje, and P.C. Mohan were at the forefront of the protest. The participants walked inside Lalbagh and also hugged the Lalbagh rock, the Peninsular Gneiss, which is estimated to be 3.4 billion years old. They raised slogans such as “Hasire Usiru, Ulisi Ulisi Lalbagh Ulisi” and “Nammadu Nammadu Lalbagh Nammadu” during the demonstration.
Addressing the protesters, Mr. Yellappa Reddy demanded that the State government immediately scrap the recent amendment to the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975. He questioned Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on the rationale behind the tunnel road project and pointed out that the planning and approval process had not followed established procedures.
Several children and students also participated in the protest. Adarsh M., a college student, expressed concern about the long-term impact: “Today, the government wants to take away 5% of space in the park. In future, it might only increase. Instead of preserving the existing and limited green space, they have come forward to destroy it. They should scrap the Bill immediately. Provide us better metro connectivity, more public buses and good roads to travel within the city.”
The movement to save the city’s parks will continue until the government withdraws the amendment Bill, announced Mr. Surya. “We will take this movement to every park in the city. I will announce the place of protest for next Sunday soon. I am sure that the government will not change its decision with a single protest. Let us continue the movement until they scrap the Bill and the tunnel road project.”
Dr. Manjunath urged the Governor not to give his assent to the Bill. Ms. Karandlaje said she had already met the Governor personally and appealed to him not to give his assent. The Bill is currently awaiting the Governor’s approval.
