Published Aug 30, 2026 | 2:41 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 30, 2026 | 2:49 PM
Protesters have demanded that the Congress government withdraw the Bill and abandon the tunnel road project.
Synopsis: Thousands of Bengaluru citizens and environmental activists gathered at Lalbagh against the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, on Sunday. Passed on 24 August, the Bill allows up to 5 percent of government park or garden land to be alienated for specified infrastructure and utility projects. It has evoked opposition from citizens, environmentalists and Opposition parties, who see it as a threat to the city’s green spaces.
Thousands of Bengaluru citizens, members of resident welfare associations and environmental activists gathered at Lalbagh Botanical Garden on Sunday, 30 August, for the “Walk for Lalbagh” protest against the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The State legislature passed the contentious Bill on 24 August. It permits up to 5 percent of the total area of a government park or garden to be alienated for specified public infrastructure and utility projects undertaken by government departments, statutory authorities, government companies or local bodies.
The amendment has evoked fierce opposition from citizens, Opposition parties and environmentalists, who allege that it is aimed at easing legal hurdles for the controversial tunnel road project and see the Bill as a threat to Bengaluru’s remaining public green spaces.
Bengalureans joining hands to SAVE LALBAGH!!!
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 pic.twitter.com/PNQKlgYKP5
— Clement C Jayakumar (@Clementcjayakum) August 30, 2026
Protesters have demanded that the Congress government withdraw the Bill and abandon the tunnel road project.
BJP leaders and MPs, including Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, Bengaluru Rural MP CN Manjunath, Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje and Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan, joined the demonstration.
Tejasvi Surya, addressing the press at the protest, said the State government was threatening further environmental destruction through its policies at a time when there had been growing conversations about protecting the environment. He advised Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to drop the tunnel road project.
“At a time when everyone is talking about the need to protect the environment, and when the responsibility to protect the environment should lie with the government, society simply cannot accept the government itself trying to get into real estate and encroach on park land. This is all we are telling the Chief Minister: this tunnel road project will not bring a good name to your government,” he said.
“You keep saying that you want to build a legacy, that you want to do work that people will remember you for. If you do things like this, people will remember you for the wrong reasons. As someone who wishes you well, I am appealing to you: please drop this tunnel road project. Build public infrastructure. Improve public transport. Build the metro. Build suburban rail. Please leave Lalbagh, Sankey Tank, and Hebbal Lakes alone.”
Surya said allowing the State to continue with its policies would result in parks across the city being turned into real estate.
“Already, in the name of building a short tunnel, you are swallowing up three and a half acres of land from Lalbagh and Hebbal Lake. In Lalbagh, you have already filed an affidavit in the High Court saying that you will take five acres of land, and you have even passed a law for it,” he said.
“If you continue like this, will you turn every park in Bengaluru into 40-by-60 sites and convert all of them into real estate? Please, we are appealing to you: drop this project.”
He said the protest had two demands: withdrawal of the law permitting diversion of 5 percent of park land and abandonment of the tunnel road project.
Joined MoS Kum. Shobha Karandlaje, MPs Shri Tejasvi Surya and Dr. C. N. Manjunath, and thousands of citizens at Lalbagh in a strong protest against the recent amendment allowing up to 5% of park land to be alienated for projects like the proposed Bengaluru Tunnel Road. pic.twitter.com/o1MGc44fOF
— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) August 30, 2026
Surya also alleged that the State was targeting protesters using the police machinery and said they were not intimidated by the action. He said if the government continued on this course, the protesters would take the agitation across the city.
“Today, so many members of the public have gathered here. And today, you have sent the police against us, filed cases against us, and issued us notices. I want to tell you this: we are not people who will be intimidated by police notices just because you file cases against us. We do not care,” he said.
“If protecting parks and saving Lalbagh is considered a crime, we are ready to commit this crime every single day. We are ready every day. This week, we are at Lalbagh. Next week, we will come to Cubbon Park. The week after that, we will come to Hebbal Lake. After that, we will come to JP Park. We will be in every park in Bengaluru. We will turn this movement to save Bengaluru into a people’s movement.”
