Bengaluru South Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya launched a new protest campaign. He started the campaign on Sunday. It’s called ‘Lalbagh for Sale’. He walked through the Lalbagh Botanical Garden. He gave pamphlets to morning walkers. He also spoke to visitors about the issue. This hubbub attracted a lot of attention in the park.
Tejasvi Surya Protests Land Acquisition At Lalbagh Botanical Garden
The protest targets the state government’s tunnel road project. The government wants to build a long tunnel between Hebbal and Silk Board. This project needs five acres of land from the famous park. Surya opposes this land acquisition. He wants to save the green areas of the city. He worries about the local environment. The project might damage the groundwater resources. It’ll also hurt the trees in the park.
The state government filed an official document in the Karnataka High Court. The document explains the exact plan for Lalbagh. The park has a total size of about 97 hectares. The project will temporarily use 2.37 hectares of this land. This amount is less than three percent of the park. The permanent construction needs only 1.92 hectares. The government promised to restore the park after the construction.
Government Defends The Tunnel Road Project Plans
Surya doesn’t trust these official promises. He pointed to the details in the project report. The tender allows the builder to construct a large commercial complex. This complex will have five floors. It will stand on the acquired park land. The plans also include a multi-level parking lot. He calls the project a real estate deal. He wants to protect the green lungs of Bengaluru.
The legal battle continues in court. Surya calls the tunnel road plan illegal. The government did not complete an environmental assessment study. The Karnataka High Court is handling several public interest lawsuits. The court will hold the next hearing on August 20. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar defended the road. He wants to reduce city traffic with this tunnel. He dismissed Surya’s protest as a political game.
