The Karnataka Excessive Court docket has directed the state authorities to make clear whether or not it has any plans to chop down timber in Bengaluru’s Lalbagh for the proposed twin tunnel challenge. The matter was heard Saturday by a bench consisting of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha.
The listening to got here within the context of a petition filed by Bengaluru-based actor Prakash Belawadi. Representing him was advocate and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who raised considerations concerning the potential affect on 6.5 acres inside Lalbagh, together with the massive Peninsular Gneiss rock formation.
The Lalbagh rock formation, a nationwide geological monument, is roughly three billion years previous and bears one of many watch towers of Kempe Gowda, the founding father of Bengaluru. In response to the petitioner’s submissions, the federal government counsel said that directions could be taken and a reply offered on the problem of chopping timber by Tuesday.
Belawadi’s petition requires a restraint on the Division of Horticulture ‘alienating’ any of the land beneath its management, together with Lalbagh, for the dual tunnel challenge. It additionally requires an affect evaluation of the challenge by the Geological Survey of India. The petition shares many targets with a previous petition filed by a bunch of Bengaluru residents that got here earlier than the excessive courtroom a month in the past.
The petition filed by the group requires quashing the tender notification for the dual tunnel challenge issued in July, in addition to the detailed challenge report (DPR) launched in December final 12 months. It additionally requires the quashing of a 2024 letter from the State Surroundings Affect Evaluation Authority that mentioned the challenge didn’t want environmental clearance.
A worldwide tender for the dual tunnel challenge, which is estimated to value over Rs 17,600 crore, was floated in July. Whereas Deputy Chief Minister D Okay Shivakumar has touted the challenge as an answer to city site visitors congestion, city mobility consultants, civic activists, and Opposition leaders have all raised main considerations concerning the proposed challenge.