BENGALURU: A delegation of citizens, walkers’ association and former senior government officials led by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Wednesday, and urged him to return the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which allows portions of park and garden land to be used for public infrastructure, and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026, citing that the bill validates projects that are required to undergo scrutiny.
Both the legislations were passed by the assembly and council without any discussion, amid protests by the Opposition demanding minister Nagendra’s resignation.
In the letter dated August 25, Surya alleged that the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill puts the state’s green spaces at risk of irreversible diversion. He said the Supreme Court has emphasised that parks serve public health, recreation, ventilation and quality of life. Bengaluru alone has around 1,353 parks spread across approximately 1,308 acres and a diversion of up to 5 per cent of government park land could place approximately 65.4 acres of limited park land at risk of diversion, with just a notification from the state government.
In another letter, Surya said Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026, has been changed by inserting sub-section (5) under Section 19 and introducing a ‘savings clause’ covering projects initiated between the commencement of BMLTA Act 2022 and notification of BMLTA Rules 2026.
He said concerns have been raised regarding Rule 24 of the BMLTA Rules, which seeks to retrospectively validate prior decisions, plans and projects, potentially undermining due process, institutional scrutiny and accountability.
“Specifically, Section 19 of the BMLTA Act empowers the Authority to evaluate and approve major urban transport projects within the urban mobility region, including proposals by urban transport, infrastructure development and traffic management agencies, and other relevant bodies. This provision was intended to ensure institutional oversight and fiscal responsibility in major infrastructure decisions,” the MP said.
He said the amendment would retrospectively legitimise mega-projects valued at nearly Rs 1lakh crore, including the tunnel road project, estimated to cost over Rs 40,000 crore, without institutional scrutiny and due process envisaged under the BMLTA framework.
