Bengaluru, 9 Feb

State’s proposal to construct a 10-storey annex for High Court inside Cubbon Park, Bengaluru's biggest green space, has sparked tensions between the government and environmentalists. The Karnataka State Bar Council building next to the Press Club of Bangalore is to be demolished to make way for the construction of the new high-rise building. Earlier, the State Election Commission office stood in place of the Bar Council building.

Environmentalists have been strongly opposing the government’s move, citing encroachment on the park, increased vehicular traffic, and a disregard for the 1975 Parks (Preservation) Act. The enactment required the State to preserve and maintain parks as horticultural gardens.

Rohita Balagopal, a soft skills trainer and an image consultant, told Salar News, “Heritage spots should not be targeted for this type of construction.”

The government has been acting on the 2019 high court order permitting construction on the site of the old Election Commission Office without cutting trees.

Priya Chetty Rajagopal, the founder of Heritage Beku, told Salar News, “This is a shocking turn of events, as the previous plan of constructing a seven-storey building faced a huge backlash. This is a far bigger project than that, and this can affect the ecosystem of the park if it involves any cutting of trees. Even the security of the space is crucial because the minute there is a huge building on the premises, there are chances of an increase in human and vehicular traffic. This can lead to issues with parking as well. At no means can the construction take place without the permission of the Horticulture Department.”

Heritage Beku is a group of citizens from all walks of life working towards protecting the history of Bengaluru. People like conservation experts, policy researchers, lawyers, environmental activists, corporate players, artists, journalists, and architects are part of this organization. In 2018, Heritage Beku evolved as a citizen initiative to maintain and preserve Bengaluru's fading heritage.

Commenting on the proposal, Cynthia Stephen, a civic activist and policy researcher, said, “There are already two roads that run through the park connecting it to the main roads, and this construction might just add to the problem.”

In October 2019, the government faced a strong backlash on the proposal to construct a seven-storey building, which was later shelved due to public opposition. According to sources, the petition against the project garnered 22,000 signatures from across the city. With Bengaluru facing a scarcity of green spaces, the potential loss of a portion of Cubbon Park has become a symbolic flashpoint for conservation efforts. Salar News