Citizens form human chain to save Lalbagh from proposed tunnel road project

Activists from various groups staged a silent protest against the proposed underground tunnel road project at Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru on August 09, 2026. | Photo Credit: J. Allen Egenuse Activists, children, and citizens from across Bengaluru participated in creating a human chain in Lalbagh on Sunday (August 9, 2026), organised by the Lalbagh Walkers Association, to oppose the State government's proposed Tunnel Road project, which they alleged will affect the botanical garden.“We will continue to protest and create awareness among the public until the message reaches the High Court of Karnataka about saving Lalbagh from being destroyed due to the proposed tunnel road project,” said Umesh Kumar, President of Lalbagh Walkers Association and Cubbon Park Walkers Association.Mr. Umesh added, “There is a High Court hearing on August 20th regarding the tunnel road project. Multiple parties have filed petitions against the proposed project.”The proposed tunnel road project aims to connect North Bengaluru and South Bengaluru via Esteem Mall in Hebbala, passing through the Silk Board junction passing through the iconic Lalbagh. The project is estimated at approximately ₹17,770 crore.Suma Reddy, who was part of the protest, said, “The project poses a threat to the city’s beautiful park and Lalbagh Rock, a Peninsular Gneiss that is estimated to be around 3,300 years old. We have no objections to developing the city, but not at the cost of destroying an ancient rock and the nature surrounding the park. Our children will inherit these beautiful places from us. If everything is destroyed at the cost of the tunnel road project, what is left for them to watch in the future except roads, skywalk, tunnel roads etc?. We are not opposing the entire project but concerned about the tunnel passing through Lalbagh.”Ms. Reddy added, “We want the government to scrap the project, and we will create awareness about it until it reaches other people as well as High Court.”Meanwhile, Prasanna Kumar, another participant, noted that earlier the Lalbagh Metro Station was planned to cut through the park and hundreds of trees were supposed to be chopped. “We opposed it and stopped the project from happening. We will continue to oppose this project too,” he said.Not just the rock; the participants also warned that this project will destroy thousands of trees inside the garden, loosen the soil, and hundreds of species will vanish as their habitat will be destroyed. They also met the Director of the Horticulture Department and requested him to write to the centre asking the Lalbagh rock to be considered for UNESCO recognition, similar to various sites in Hampi.Earlier, Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar had said that not a single tree would be felled and that no more than half an acre of land within Lalbagh would be used for the project. Published - August 09, 2026 04:51 pm IST