Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Tejasvi Surya Opposes Karnataka’s Five-Percent Park Land Diversion
The state cabinet decided that up to five percent of government park land could be used for other public projects.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya wants the decision cancelled.
He says parks are important for clean air, cooler temperatures and public health.
He also says Bengaluru already has too much concrete and pollution.
Surya worries that allowing some park land to be used could lead to more green spaces being taken later.
He wants the government to find other government land for projects.
Parks also give children places to play and older people places to walk.
He asked R. Ashoka and other leaders to work together to protect the city’s parks.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya urged Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to withdraw the cabinet decision.
The decision permits up to five percent of government park land to be used for other public purposes.
Surya called the move anti-people and warned it could worsen Bengaluru’s concretisation, pollution, heat and rainwater problems.
He urged the government to use alternative government land for public projects instead of parks.
Surya asked opposition leader R. Ashoka to oppose the decision and called for bipartisan protection of Bengaluru’s green spaces.
- Who
- BJP MP Tejasvi Surya urged Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to reverse the decision and appealed to Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka to oppose it.
- What
- The state cabinet approved using up to five percent of government park land for other public purposes.
- When
- The appeal was made ahead of the forthcoming Assembly session; no specific date was given.
- Where
- Bengaluru.
- Why
- Surya said diverting park land would threaten the city’s environment, public health and remaining green spaces, and could encourage further encroachment.
Park Protection
Public-Purpose Land Use
Whether park land should be diverted
Park Protection
Tejasvi Surya says parks are vital green spaces and should not be treated as vacant land; he wants the cabinet decision withdrawn.
Public-Purpose Land Use
The state cabinet decision allows up to five percent of government park land to be used for other public purposes.
How to provide land for projects
Park Protection
Surya says the government should identify alternative government land rather than use parks.
Public-Purpose Land Use
The cabinet decision provides for using a limited portion of park land for public purposes, although the article does not state the government’s detailed justification.
- Permitted diversion
- Up to five percent of government park land
- Decision-maker addressed
- Chief Minister D K Shivakumar
- Main critic
- BJP MP Tejasvi Surya
- Environmental concerns
- Concretisation, air pollution, rising temperatures and rainwater-related problems
- Proposed alternative
- Identify other government land for public projects
- Political appeal
- Surya urged R. Ashoka and other leaders to take a bipartisan stand
- City identity at risk
- Surya warned Bengaluru’s Garden City identity could remain only in history