Trees in Bengaluru’s Lalbagh are not being cut for the twin tunnel road project, the Karnataka High Court was informed by the state government on Tuesday, when it heard a petition filed by city-based actor Prakash Belawadi opposing certain aspects of the ambitious project.
While a group of Bengaluru residents had already moved the court raising similar issues, including the tender process and approvals for the project, Belawadi’s petition specifically opposed any alienation of Lalbagh’s land by the horticultural department and also called for a geological impact survey.
During an earlier hearing on October 25, advocate and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya represented Belawadi, raising concerns about the road project’s impact on 6.5 acres of Lalbagh’s land as well as a three-billion-year-old rock formation within the garden.
The court then sought the state’s reply by Tuesday on the issue of cutting trees. Representing the state, Advocate-General Shashikiran Shetty submitted, “As of now, the answer is no, milords.”
Upon hearing this, a bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha orally observed that the status quo would be maintained until the next hearing, adding that no interim order would be required at this stage.
On the petitioner’s side, senior advocate D R Ravishankar submitted, “Though it is a stillborn project on paper, they have already started the tendering process…”
The court then clarified that the decision on the interim order would apply only until December 9, when Belawadi’s petition will be heard along with the other petition against the twin tunnel project.