Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya protests Karnataka's plan to acquire Lalbagh land

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya led a protest at the historic Lalbagh park, handing out posters and leaflets that read “Lalbagh is for sale.” He said the Karnataka state government’s tunnel‑road proposal seeks to acquire more than five acres of the park and, according to the tender and detailed project report, would allow the contractor to build a five‑story commercial complex on the site.

Surya argued that Lalbagh is the city’s last large green lung, vital for groundwater recharge, and that the commercial development would damage its ecological and heritage value. He noted that the acquisition plan is being challenged in the Karnataka High Court, with the court’s orders linking the tunnel project’s progress to the outcome of public‑interest litigations and providing interim protection against tree felling.