No Tunnel Through Bengaluru's Lalbagh? Govt Explores Alternative Route Amid Protests

News cities bengaluru-news No Tunnel Through Bengaluru's Lalbagh? Govt Explores Alternative Route Amid Protests

Last Updated:September 12, 2026, 05:22 IST

CM Shivakumar said the decision was not a U-turn, but a response to concerns raised by the people.

The Karnataka government, which came under intense pressure from citizens and environmentalists over its plan to use park land for infrastructure, is now looking for an alternative alignment for the proposed 17.5-km tunnel road so that Lalbagh is not touched at all.

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has confirmed to CNN-News18 that the government is examining alternative entry and exit points to keep the iconic botanical garden out of the project.

“We are trying to identify alternative solutions for the entry and exit ramps, avoiding Lalbagh," Byre Gowda said.

Lalbagh At Centre Of Controversy

The minister’s assurance comes days after the government was forced to retreat on another contentious front — the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Amendment Bill, 2026.

The Bill, passed by the Assembly on August 24, had proposed allowing up to five per cent of park and garden land to be used for public infrastructure and utility works. For citizens who had been protesting the tunnel road, the provision was seen as a potential backdoor to acquiring a portion of Lalbagh for the project.

That triggered a storm.

From activists and environmentalists to walkers, children and ordinary Bengalureans, opposition to the proposal grew rapidly. A human chain was formed at Lalbagh, while thousands of citizens turned up in protest against the proposed diversion of park land.

The government eventually withdrew the controversial Bill following intense pushback from citizens, environmental groups and opposition parties.

‘We Heard The People’

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the decision was not a U-turn, but a response to concerns raised by the people.

“We heard the people. We are a government that listens to its people. When they raised concerns, we made a decision. Alternative routes are being examined," Shivakumar said while speaking to reporters.

He had earlier said the Bill could be discussed again in the Assembly and that he was open to suggestions from the Opposition and the public.

“I will get the files and we can discuss the matter again in the Legislative Assembly," he had said. He had also assured citizens: “No one needs to worry. I know how to protect the park land."

The Bill will now be opened up for public discussion and brought back in the next legislature session after considering suggestions from the public.

Govt Looks For Alternative Routes

Now, the government appears to be putting that assurance into practice.

Byre Gowda said the government is looking at alternative entry and exit points for the tunnel road and is trying to avoid land acquisition.

“The idea is to try and do it without going for land acquisition," the minister said, adding that a team has been working on alternative options for the past 10 days.

Sources say the government is examining several possibilities, including a portion of NIMHANS land, cemetery land near Wilson Garden and the possibility of taking the tunnel beneath Lalbagh Road.

But the government is yet to settle on an option.

“Once we decide on a location, we will know whether there is any land acquisition or not," Byre Gowda said.

Ancient Rock Formation Raises Concern

The proposal had also raised concerns over the ancient rock formation inside Lalbagh. The Geological Survey of India has warned that construction activity associated with the tunnel could pose risks to the roughly three-billion-year-old Peninsular Gneiss rock formation and potentially affect groundwater flows around Lalbagh.

The proposed tunnel is intended to connect Hebbal in north Bengaluru with the Central Silk Board area in the south. The government has estimated the project cost at around ₹17,700 crore.

About the Author

Rohini Swamy

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously wor...Read More

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