Tejasvi Surya, Experts Urge Governor to Return Parks and BMLTA Amendment Bills

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, former bureaucrats, environmentalists, and activists submitted formal objections on Wednesday urging Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot to return two recently passed amendment bills to the state legislature for reconsideration, citing constitutional, environmental, and institutional concerns that impact locations including Hebbal Lake.

The objections were filed against the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 2026, and amendments to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Act. In separate letters, Mr. Surya noted that both bills were passed by the two houses of the state legislature on August 24 without substantive debate, despite prior objections from citizens, civil society groups, and technical experts.

Joining Mr. Surya in the submissions were former forest secretary A.N. Yellappa Reddy, retired IAS officer A. Ravindra, and activist Dattaraya Devare. They raised alarms over a provision in the Parks Amendment Act permitting up to 5% of land or buildings in government parks and gardens to be alienated through sale, lease, gift, exchange, mortgage, or other means for public utility projects.

Mr. Surya highlighted the direct impact of this clause on proposed infrastructure projects across the city. According to the MP, the proposed Hebbal Short Tunnel could require around 3.45 acres of Hebbal Lake, while the Tunnel Road Project could require approximately 5 acres of Lalbagh for a tunnel and shaft, with detailed project reports also envisaging parking and commercial complexes around the shaft.

Bengaluru currently has roughly 1,353 parks spanning about 1,308 acres. Mr. Surya warned that a 5% diversion across the city could put approximately 65.4 acres of park land at risk, including nearly 22 acres across Lalbagh and Cubbon Park combined.

Regarding the BMLTA amendment, Mr. Surya objected to a savings clause designed to retrospectively validate decisions, plans, operations, and proceedings initiated between the start of the BMLTA Act in 2022 and the notification of the BMLTA Rules, 2026. He stated that this clause could bypass required statutory scrutiny to retrospectively legitimise major projects worth nearly ₹1 lakh crore, including the estimated ₹40,000 crore Tunnel Road Project, while noting that a related challenge to Rule 24 remains pending before the Karnataka High Court.