Experts and Activists in Bengaluru Oppose Karnataka Parks Amendment Bill

Environmentalists and civic activists in Bengaluru have voiced strong opposition to the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, warning that a provision permitting 5% of parkland to be diverted for development projects will accelerate the erosion of the city's remaining green cover.

Experts warned that repeatedly diverting park spaces could worsen air pollution, increase urban heat, and dismantle Bengaluru's identity as a garden city. The proposed legislation, intended to facilitate projects such as the tunnel road network, has prompted pushback from citizens and civic groups who maintain that development should not come at the expense of environmental safeguards.

V Ram Prasad, environmentalist and co-founder of Friends of Lakes, criticised the Bill, describing it as an abuse of power and public trust. He noted that Bengaluru’s green cover has fallen from around 60% in the 1970s to 40% in the 1990s, 20% in the 2010s, and into single digits today. Prasad argued that development works have historically taken place through standard environmental clearance processes without needing statutory parkland diversions. Referring to landmarks like Lalbagh, he cautioned that losing even small portions of key parks would threaten the city's ecological future and worsen rising temperatures.

Srikanth Narasimhan, founder of the Bangalore Apartments’ Federation and the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party, pointed to a lack of clarity regarding whether the 5% provision would be applied strictly once or repeatedly for future projects. He warned that the loss of shaded parkland would disproportionately hurt outdoor workers, including pourakarmikas and delivery staff, while reducing rainwater absorption and groundwater recharge.

Karegowdra Jayanna, Professor of Practice at Vemana Institute of Technology, stated that Bengaluru's population of over 1.4 crore and vehicular fleet of more than one crore make green buffers critical for absorbing harmful emissions. Jayanna opposed tunnel road initiatives, recommending that authorities instead complete ongoing Metro Rail projects to address traffic congestion without weakening underground terrain.