The story so far
For years now, regular visitors to Cubbon Park and walkers have protested against multiple decisions taken by the State government as they have perceived them as threats to the greenery of this previous lung space of Bengaluru.
The latest protest took place earlier this month when hundreds of citizens gathered near the Central Library in Cubbon Park to oppose two things — the State government’s proposal to construct a High Court annexe inside the park and the decision to let traffic inside the park on second and fourth Saturdays, which was banned earlier. The location for the annexe’s construction shifted after the protests, but the latter decision has not been rescinded as of now. Both of these issues are not new and have cropped up earlier.
Origin of the issue
The history of the proposed annexe to the High Court goes back to 2019. In September 2019, then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced that the government was committed to the construction of a multi-storey building in the place of the old Chief Electoral office (inside Cubbon Park) to accommodate the administrative block of the High Court. This drew the ire of green activists and heritage conservationists.
In the first week of November 2019, members of several citizen organisations from the city protested the proposal to construct a seven-storey building inside Cubbon Park, perceiving it as a threat to both the greenery and heritage value of the park. A PIL petition was also filed in the High Court. There was also a public petition which gained thousands of signatures demanding that the government drop its construction plans. Ultimately, there were no further developments in the matter and the activists assumed that the annexe construction was put to rest.
Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association members and concerned citizens staging a protest against the approval granted by the Karnataka government for the construction of a 10-storey building as an annexe to the High Court within the park premises. | Photo Credit: file photo
Why is it back in news
Fast forward to over four years later, in February 2024, the State government decided to revive the High Court annexe construction project. The Public Works Department (PWD) came up with a revised construction project proposal. This time, they proposed a 10-storey building.
The Horticulture Department, which maintains Cubbon Park, said although there was a proposal from PWD, no decisions were made about the construction. They said with the revisions in the project proposal, there were many things to consider.
Yet again, green activists and regular visitors of Cubbon Park were up in arms. They argued that the construction would be a violation of the Parks and Preservations Act of 1975, which does not allow any fresh construction in the park. While starting another public petition under #NoHighRiseCubbon, on February 11, the nature enthusiasts gathered at Cubbon Park to protest the project, arguing that new constructions inside the park will increase pedestrian and vehicular movement, thereby encroaching on the lung space.
However, on February 12, sources in the Horticulture Department said the PWD was on the lookout for a new location for the construction of the annexe as the site inside Cubbon Park was not feasible. Although this could essentially mean that the multi-storey building will not be constructed inside Cubbon Park, activists remain apprehensive as there is no clarity about where an alternative location will be found.
The traffic issue dates back to 2015 when citing air and noise pollution, the Horticulture Department proposed prohibiting the movement of vehicles inside Cubbon Park. | Photo Credit: BHAGYA PRAKASH K
Ban on traffic
The issue of the traffic ban in Cubbon Park dates back to 2015. Back then, citing air and noise pollution as reasons, the Horticulture Department had proposed a total traffic ban inside the park. The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) had, however, termed the proposal impractical. Finally, traffic was banned inside Cubbon Park on Sundays.
In 2019, when the Horticulture Department called a tender for the collection of parking fees in five authorised parking lots inside Cubbon Park, the move faced severe opposition as this meant that a traffic ban inside the park would remain a distant dream.
However, soon, as COVID-19 took over the world, all vehicular movement was stopped inside Cubbon Park until September 2020. In fact, even the Directorate of Urban and Land Transport (DULT) had also written to the Horticulture Department back then saying that Cubbon Park should be a zero-traffic zone reserved only for pedestrians and cyclists.
While a total traffic ban was never imposed, eventually, an order was passed banning vehicle movement inside the park on second and fourth Saturdays, Sundays and all other general holidays.
In 2019, when the Horticulture Department called a tender for the collection of parking fees in five authorised parking lots inside Cubbon Park, the move faced severe opposition. | Photo Credit: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
Latest developments
While the demand to ban traffic continued as an objective among regular visitors, in 2023, the High Court directed the Horticulture Department to provide parking for public litigants inside Cubbon Park. The court directed that parking should be allowed in the space between Victoria Statue and Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
To address this and many other problems related to the park, the Horticulture Department formed the Cubbon Park Conservation Committee in October 2023. There has been no development on the parking front after that.
The latest issue in the list is the new order which came out on February 8, which said that on a trial basis, traffic movement will be allowed in Cubbon Park on second and fourth Saturdays for three months. The Conservation Committee, while strongly opposing the idea, alleged that they were not consulted on this matter.
Environmental activists say that the construction of buildings poses a threat to both the greenery and heritage value of the park. | Photo Credit: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
Police view on traffic
The main contention of Bengaluru Traffic Police is that if traffic is banned inside Cubbon Park, it will result in congestion in the Central Business District (CBD). Even experts have said closing the park for traffic would increase vehicular volume along Nrupatunga Road, Hudson Circle, and Kasturba Road.
Even in the order passed recently, it was stated that Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.N. Anucheth said outside Cubbon Park, traffic congestion was increasing and that there was ample space available inside to divert these vehicles. The order also said Mr. Anucheth said allowing traffic inside the Park would enable smooth flow of traffic in the surrounding areas.
After considering these points, currently, traffic movement inside Cubbon Park on second and fourth Saturdays has been allowed from the High Court to Siddalingaiah Circle and from Siddalingaiah Circle to the High Court.
