More than 5,000 protesters gathered at Lalbagh in Bengaluru on Sunday to oppose the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the proposed Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road project. The demonstration brought together citizen groups, resident welfare associations, environmental activists, walkers, pro-Kannada organisations and BJP leaders.
The protest, titled ‘Walk in Lalbagh. Walk for Lalbagh’, began at 7 am from the park’s West Gate. Participants demanded that the state government withdraw the amendment and abandon the proposed tunnel road project, which they said threatened Bengaluru’s parkland.
The Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by both Houses of the state legislature on August 24. The amendment allows up to 5% of government park or garden land to be alienated for specified public infrastructure and utility projects.
The protest took place amid concerns over the decline of green spaces in Bengaluru. Lalbagh, one of the city’s major public parks, became the gathering point for groups opposed to using protected or designated parkland for infrastructure development.
BJP MPs Tejasvi Surya, Shobha Karandlaje, CN Manjunath and PC Mohan attended the protest. Yellappa Reddy, chief adviser to the Lalbagh and Cubbon Park Expert Committee, was also present.
Surya said the protest would be taken to other parks across Bengaluru if the government continued with the proposal. The participation of political representatives alongside environmental and citizen groups added to the pressure over both the legislative amendment and the tunnel road plan.
The proposed Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road project is at the centre of the dispute because protesters are seeking its abandonment along with withdrawal of the amendment. The report does not specify the project’s construction schedule, land requirement or the state government’s response to Sunday’s demonstration.
The immediate demands raised at Lalbagh were the withdrawal of the parks amendment and an end to the tunnel road proposal. Further action is expected in other Bengaluru parks if the proposal continues.
