Now Reading: Karnataka cabinet clears bill to use 5% of park land for projects
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Karnataka cabinet clears bill to use 5% of park land for projects
The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a bill to amend the Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975, allowing up to five per cent of park and garden land in Bengaluru to be used for…
The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a bill to amend the Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975, allowing up to five per cent of park and garden land in Bengaluru to be used for public infrastructure and utility projects. The amendment applies to iconic green spaces such as Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. Only government departments, statutory authorities, state-owned companies and local authorities can use the alienated land.
The Federal reports that the BJP has opposed the move, calling it a "war on green spaces." Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya alleged the amendment is designed to bypass court proceedings against the proposed 17-km tunnel road from Hebbal to Central Silk Board, which requires about six acres of Lalbagh land temporarily and one acre permanently. The Times of India adds that BJP leaders have alleged the decision aims to benefit Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's loyalists by facilitating Nandini milk parlours in parks.
The proposed legislation states a high-level committee headed by an additional chief secretary will evaluate any proposed use of park land. The bill is expected to be taken up in the current session of the state legislature for consideration and passage.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Federal leads with the tunnel road context and BJP's legal circumvention charge, framing the bill as a policy decision under court challenge. The Times of India adds a patronage angle, reporting BJP allegations that the move is meant to install Nandini milk parlours for CM loyalists, a detail The Federal omits entirely. Both outlets report the same core facts but the Times introduces a specific benefit claim, giving the story a sharper political colour. The measured read: the government has proposed a ceiling and a committee process, but the timing, amid a court case on the tunnel road, gives the opposition a plausible line of attack. Watch for the opposition's legislative strategy when the bill comes up for debate.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
Sources (2): thefederal.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (government critical)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
