Citizens Rally at Lalbagh
Thousands of Bengaluru residents, citizen groups, environmental campaigners and Resident Welfare Associations gathered at Lalbagh Botanical Garden on August 30 to protest against a recent amendment to Karnataka’s Parks Preservation law.
The campaign, titled “Walk in Lalbagh. Walk for Lalbagh”brought together people opposed to the diversion of protected park land for infrastructure projects. BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya, Shobha Karandlaje and CN Manjunath, along with environmental expert Yellappa Reddy, also joined the walk.
The protesters raised a clear demand: “Not 5%. Not 1%. Not one inch of Lalbagh.”
What Has Changed Under the New Law?
The Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, allows the government to divert up to 5% of the total area of a protected government park or garden for specified public utility projects.
The provision covers parks and gardens governed by the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975, including Lalbagh and Cubbon Park.
Under the amendment, land can be sold, leased, gifted, exchanged, mortgaged or otherwise transferred for projects undertaken by government departments, statutory authorities, government companies or local authorities.
A government evaluation mechanism headed by the Additional Chief Secretary has also been created to assess proposals before they are recommended to the state government.
Why Lalbagh Has Become the Centre of the Protest
Lalbagh covers approximately 240 acres. Protesters fear that the 5% provision could potentially make nearly 12 acres available for infrastructure or other permitted uses.
The concern has become particularly intense because of the proposed 17-km Hebbal-Central Silk Board tunnel roadwith protesters claiming that around 5 km of the proposed corridor could pass through Lalbagh.
Different estimates have been cited regarding the amount of land that could be required, including around five acres and, in other assessments, six acres temporarily and one acre permanently.
For citizens opposing the project, the issue therefore goes beyond the tunnel itself. They argue that the 5% provision creates a legal route through which protected green spaces could gradually be reduced.
Lalbagh’s Ecological and Geological Importance
Protesters emphasised that Lalbagh is not simply an empty parcel of government land.
The historic garden is home to extensive greenery and biodiversity, while its iconic Peninsular Gneiss rock formation is believed to be around three billion years old.
During Sunday’s protest, participants sat and lay on the rock to underline their opposition to any development that could affect Lalbagh’s natural and geological heritage.
Environmental campaigners argued that Bengaluru already faces severe pressure from urbanisation and that the city’s remaining green spaces are crucial for its environmental quality and residents’ well-being.
Political Opposition Joins Citizen Campaign
The protest has also become a major political issue.
BJP leaders have strongly opposed the amendment and have approached Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot seeking that assent to the legislation be withheld.
Tejasvi Surya described the movement as citizen-led and said thousands had gathered to oppose both the tunnel project and the 5% land-diversion provision.
Shobha Karandlaje said the campaign was about protecting not just Lalbagh but Bengaluru and Karnataka’s wider green spaces.
The Opposition has argued that the amendment weakens existing protections for public parks.
Citizens Demand the Tunnel Project Be Dropped
Protesters have also questioned the necessity of the proposed tunnel road itself.
They have demanded that the government disclose the project’s expected financial and economic benefits and explain why Lalbagh land needs to be used.
Citizen groups have even offered to contribute towards the projected economic requirement if it would prevent the park from being affected.
The Lalbagh Walkers Association and other groups have also raised concerns about the tunnel’s possible impact on the garden’s greenery, biodiversity and geological features.
The Protest Is Growing Beyond Lalbagh
The latest rally follows several other campaigns against the proposed diversion of park land.
Citizens have organised human chains, signature campaigns and other symbolic demonstrations in recent weeks. The repeated protests indicate that the issue has developed into a wider debate about Bengaluru’s approach to infrastructure development and environmental preservation.
For protesters, allowing even a limited portion of protected parks to be diverted could establish a precedent for future projects.
What Happens Next?
The Karnataka government’s amendment remains at the centre of the dispute, with opponents seeking its withdrawal and asking the Governor not to approve it.
At the same time, opposition to the Hebbal-Central Silk Board tunnel project is continuing.
The immediate battle is therefore over both the proposed infrastructure corridor and the broader principle of whether protected urban green spaces should be available for diversion.
For Bengaluru’s citizens, the message from Lalbagh was unambiguous: development should not come at the cost of the city’s remaining green heritage.
Summary
Thousands of Bengaluru citizens gathered at Lalbagh to oppose Karnataka’s new law allowing up to 5% of protected government park land to be diverted for public infrastructure. Protesters are particularly concerned about the proposed Hebbal-Central Silk Board tunnel road and its potential impact on Lalbagh. Citizen groups are demanding withdrawal of the 5% provision and protection of every inch of the park.