Whitefield residents have petitioned the Bengaluru East City Corporation (BECC) to keep Inner Circle Park exclusively for public recreation and prevent its use for commercial, political, festival and other organised events. The petition, filed by the Whitefield Settlers and Residents Association (WSRA) on behalf of residents of the Inner and Outer Circle areas, asks the civic body to protect the park from activities that could alter its public character.
The residents have urged the corporation to prohibit commercial events, fairs, exhibitions, stalls, promotional activities, political meetings and private functions at the park. They have also sought a ban on temporary or permanent structures that could compromise the park’s recreational use.
In its petition, the association referred to the Karnataka Parks, Play-fields and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act, 1985. WSRA said the legislation treats parks and open spaces as statutory public assets that must be protected from diversion to incompatible uses. The association also cited court observations supporting the preservation of parks, playgrounds and open spaces.
The petition places the dispute within a wider set of pressures affecting Whitefield, one of Bengaluru’s rapidly urbanising areas. Residents said the neighbourhood is already dealing with congestion, noise and air pollution, excessive garbage accumulation and pressure on the local electricity supply. They argued that large events in the park could intensify these problems and create additional health and safety concerns.
“Large events cause significant disruption to daily life, including traffic noise and air pollution, excessive garbage accumulation and instability in electricity supply, creating avoidable health and safety concerns in an already heavily congested neighbourhood,” the residents said in the petition.
The association’s demand is not limited to regulating the size or timing of events. It has asked the BECC to retain Inner Circle Park as a dedicated public park and to prevent its conversion into a venue for commercial activity or private functions. The request also seeks to ensure that public recreational space is not gradually reshaped by event infrastructure or organised gatherings.
The petition now places responsibility on the Bengaluru East City Corporation to consider how the park is classified, managed and used. Its response will determine whether Inner Circle Park remains restricted to public recreation or continues to be available for a wider range of organised activities. The corporation’s decision and any subsequent action on the residents’ demands are awaited.
