Why Karnataka’s two new laws sparked controversy over Bengaluru tunnel road project

9:48 PM ETDeveloping

Politics Desk

He said that the tunnel road “will pass under Lalbagh but Lalbagh itself will not be affected”. Instead of expanding and fiercely guarding our parks, this government views public open space as nothing more than a private land bank waiting to be monetised,” R Ashoka, BJP MLA and the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, said on social media.

According to the new law, the diversion of park land can be authorised on the basis of the recommendations of a High Level Committee created by the state if the committee “considers it to be expedient in public interest to permit the utilization of any land or building or parts thereof comprised in a Park or Garden…” as being in public interest.

While the government has argued that the new law “applies strictly in favor of Government Departments, Statutory Authorities, Government Companies, or Local Authorities for public utility projects”, the Opposition and environmentalists see the Bill as unlocking the door to commercialisation and use of parks for state infrastructure projects.

There may be temporary usage for six months for storage of machinery, that is all,” he said.

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While the government has argued that the new law “applies strictly in favor of Government Departments, Statutory Authorities, Government Companies, or Local Authorities for public utility projects”, the Opposition…
According to the new law, the diversion of park land can be authorised on the basis of the recommendations of a High Level Committee created by the state if the committee “considers it to be expedient in public…
Instead of expanding and fiercely guarding our parks, this government views public open space as nothing more than a private land bank waiting to be monetised,” R Ashoka, BJP MLA and the Leader of Opposition in the…
He said that the tunnel road “will pass under Lalbagh but Lalbagh itself will not be affected”.
There may be temporary usage for six months for storage of machinery, that is all,” he said.

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