Parking in Cubbon Park: Will it ever be a reality?

Parking in Cubbon Park: Will it ever be a reality?
Despite Approval, Rs 33-cr Underground Project Faces Legal Hurdle
The Times of India

Bangalore: Cubbon Park is in the news again. Time and again people have opposed any construction within the park. A number of PILs have been filed. Whether it is the construction of the legislators’ home or the Glass House in Raj Bhavan, people have taken course to legal remedy. Now, it is the turn of the Rs 33-crore underground parking complex project around the high court that faces a legal hurdle.
Bimal Desai, a resident, who has fought many a battle against constructions within Cubbon Park in the past, has once again moved court. He has filed an Interlocutory Application (IA) seeking a direction to the authorities to publish a public notice in local newspapers regarding the proposed construction around the high court area, and invite objections from the general public.
The proposed construction involves great environmental impact and if any decision is taken without giving opportunity to the general public, it would violate their fundamental rights, he contended.
The public works department (PWD) has filed an application seeking permission of the court to construct the underground facility to ease the acute parking problem.
Ramesh K Jagirdar, under secretary of PWD (buildings), in his application, has promised that construction will take place where there are very few trees. Once construction work is over, they will plant two trees for every tree that will be cut for the project. Jagirdar submitted that the lawn and open space around the high court will be retained.
The high-level monitoring committee set up following a meeting between the chief justice and chief minister, had accepted the proposal at its meeting on August 7, 2006.
The drawings prepared by the chief architect and estimates prepared by the chief engineer were approved by the high court. The registrar-general, in a letter to the chief secretary dated December 22, 2006, had asked him to proceed with the construction work.
The high court had approved the construction of reception counters and fencing of the high court complex in November 2005, following security concerns. BUILDINGS THAT CAME UP HERE
YMCA - 6.12 acres Century Club - 26,220 sq m Revenue Survey Office - 12,200 sq m New PWD office - 32,507 sq m Cubbon Park police station - 775 sq m DG-IGP office - 5,827 sq m KGID - 2347.22 sq m Press Club - 4647.28 sq m Victory Hall (Bal Bhavan) - 72,562 sq m Horticulture dept office - 1,278 sq m Children Library - 4766,90 sq m GPO -12,735 sq m HC (annexe) - 38,152 sq m Krishi Bhavan - 3,084 sq m Central Telegraph office - 2.99 acres Visweswariah Museum - 1.80 acres Venkatappa Art Gallery - 1.20 acres RBI - 4.10 acres Tennis stadium - 4 acres Youth centre - 1.71 acres Court complex - 2.07 acres Aquarium - 0.55 acres