BBMP park in Defence colony in Bengaluru
Because we have such good parks, we eat food there and rest for a while, only. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru Stay updated with the latest Bengaluru news. Prof KS Bhat , Managing Trustee, Sarakki: Definition of parks should not be expanded to include green buffers and vegetation around lakes. The govt has made little progress in recent years in increasing green cover, biodiversity or creating more tree parks. At a time when the city needs more green spaces, weakening protections for existing parks sends the wrong message. Balaji Ragotham, Citizen Activist: While citizens are volunteering to water plants around parks and lakes, the govt is proposing measures that could reduce green spaces. As the city grows denser, protecting its lung spaces becomes critical. BNS Ratnakar, HSR Forum: Bengaluru’s green cover is far below that of a healthy and sustainable city. Allowing construction in parks would defeat the very purpose for which these spaces were created. Parks help maintain ecological balance, improve air quality, support biodiversity and provide much-needed open spaces for citizens. The proposal should be withdrawn. Rajkumar Dugar, Founder, Citizens for Citizens: It’s regressive. We need to ask whether this is truly the kind of development Bengaluru requires. Chiku Agarwal, Resident of JP Nagar: Parks have always played an important role in Bengaluru’s identity. Having grown up in JP Nagar, it is difficult for me to imagine commercial activity or infrastructure replacing spaces that people visit for peace and quiet. Parks are part of the city’s social fabric. Asha A, Veeramahila Bike Taxi Welfare Association: Parks are important for gig workers as well. I can’t imagine our lives without parks. Our request: Increase parks, not reduce them. Download the TOI App.
Bengaluru: As govt moves to amend Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975, to allow up to 5% of park and garden land to be used for infrastructure and utility projects, many citizens fear Bengaluru’s already-limited public spaces could gradually shrink. A petition urging the government to withdraw the proposed amendment and protect Bengaluru’s parks has attracted more than 4,000 signatures. The petition argues the city is already short of accessible green spaces and that existing parks should be strengthened rather than opened up for infrastructure projects. Resident welfare associations (RWAs), citizen groups and environmental activists argue that parks form an essential part of everyday life in Bengaluru. They fear that allowing portions of parks to be diverted for non-park purposes could set a precedent for future encroachments and infrastructure projects. For many residents, parks are among the few freely accessible public spaces left in the city. Every morning and evening, parks across Bengaluru see walkers, joggers, yoga groups and senior citizens gathering for exercise and social interaction. Open gyms installed in many parks are extensively used by residents, while children rely on these spaces for recreation amid the shrinking availability of playgrounds. Families often spend weekends in parks, making them important social spaces in increasingly dense neighbourhoods. Citizens also point out that parks serve a wider community function beyond recreation. Gig workers, autorickshaw drivers and delivery personnel often use the shade provided by parks as temporary resting spaces during long working hours. Residents argue that any reduction in park area could affect a large cross-section of the city’s population that depends on these spaces daily. QUOTES