BENGALURU: Environmental activists and citizens on Sunday protested at the Cantonment Railway Colony, urging the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to protect 368 century-old trees that are once again under threat. Activists tied posters with slogans to the trees, demanding that BBMP uphold its earlier biodiversity declaration and warning against any move to reverse it. The protest follows concerns after a recent meeting chaired by BBMP Administrator Tushar Girinath, which hinted at the possibility of re-examining the decision.
The trees, located in the historic Cantonment Railway Colony, had earlier faced the axe when Bagmane Builders proposed a construction project on the site. The plan triggered widespread outrage, with over 10,700 objections and 4,500 emails sent to authorities. Led by the organisation Parisarakkagi Naavu, the campaign drew support from retired Supreme Court judges, seers, writers, journalists, and senior citizens, who argued that Bengaluru, which has already lost nearly all its green cover since the 1970s, cannot afford another ecological setback.
Following the campaign, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre visited the site in June and promised action. On June 25, the State Biodiversity Board declared the Cantonment Railway Colony a ‘Biodiversity Zone’ , a move that initially reassured activists and citizens.
However, the latest developments have reignited fears. With Bengaluru’s tree cover shrinking to below 3 percent and air pollution worsening, activists say preserving the Cantonment trees has become symbolic of the city’s larger environmental struggle.