Lalbagh protests erupt over Karnataka parkland diversion bill

Lalbagh Botanical Garden Karnataka Parks Bill Tejasvi Surya Bengaluru green spaces Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road

Thousands of citizens gathered at Bengaluru’s Lalbagh Botanical Garden for a march to protest the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The legislation, passed by the state assembly on August 24, allows the government to alienate up to 5% of the total area of any government park or garden in Karnataka for infrastructure projects or other government purposes.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje led the protest, alleging the law threatens the city’s green cover to facilitate projects such as the proposed 17km Hebbal–Silk Board Twin Tunnel Road. Surya noted that the 5% diversion would equate to approximately 12 acres in Lalbagh alone. Legal experts have criticized the bill, with some describing the lack of public consultation as a form of “dictatorship.”

Estimates suggest the amendment could result in the loss of 65 acres of green space across Bengaluru, including nearly 10 acres in Cubbon Park. While the land cannot be sold to private developers, it can be leased or transferred to government departments and statutory authorities.

Entities

Cubbon Park · Karnataka Government · Lalbagh Botanical Garden · Shobha Karandlaje · Tejasvi Surya

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed The Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, on August 24. thefederal.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] More than 5,000 people participated in a citizens' march at Lalbagh to oppose the park land diversion bill. newsable.asianetnews.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Legal expert Prashanth Mirle stated that the proposed Hebbal–Silk Board Twin Tunnel Road project is the primary motivation for the amendment bill. www.newindianexpress.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The 5% amendment to the Karnataka Parks Bill would result in the loss of approximately 12 acres of land in Lalbagh Botanical Garden. thefederal.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The new amendment allows the government to alienate up to 5% of the total area of any government park or garden in Karnataka for infrastructure or government purposes. thefederal.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · www.newindianexpress.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The amendment could result in the loss of 65 acres of green space across Bengaluru, including 9.85 acres in Cubbon Park. www.newindianexpress.com

Sources

Tejasvi Surya calls for ‘Save Lalbagh’ campaign against govt’s 5 pc parkland rule [thefederal.com]

13 days ago

Tejasvi Surya leads citizens' march to protest park land diversion [newsable.asianetnews.com]

12 days ago

Why are Bengalureans opposing 17-km Hebbal–Silk Board twin tunnel road project [newsmeter.in]

11 days ago

Legal experts slam hasty Karnataka parks bill, call it government's ‘dictatorship’ [www.newindianexpress.com]

12 days ago