"BMRCL should heed the voice of the people."

"BMRCL should heed the voice of the people."
Deccan Herald

In the past few days a large number of Bangalore residents have been protesting against encroachment of some land which is part of the city’s historic Lal Bagh by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) for construction of the city’s planned metro rail project. A part of Lal Bagh’s wall has already been demolished. The protesters include a wide cross section of people including environmentalists, tree lovers, those who like Lal Bagh and its unique ambience, students and even ordinary citizens. A human chain was formed to protest against the BMRCL move. Other kinds of protests have also been held. It is likely that the protests will gather momentum in the coming days if the BMRCL continues to be insensitive to the demand to desist from damaging an important natural and historic landmark of the city, existing since the time of Haider Ali.

The use of land belonging to Lal Bagh for the metro station and the cutting down of trees could certainly be avoided. It is estimated that about 20 trees inside Lal Bagh and over 300 on RV Road may have to be felled for the project. Unfortunately the BMRCL has not been very transparent about this and the number of trees to be hit by the project has changed. The BMRCL has also claimed that it has received permission from the government for acquisition of land. But according to the protesters the BMRCL does not have all the required permissions under the relevant laws for uprooting the trees. In any case the issue is not just legal. The BMRCL should respect the idea of heritage that Lal Bagh symbolises for Bangalore and be sensitive to the sentiments of the people who are championing its cause.

If saving the trees and maintaining the environment and ambience of Lal Bagh demands a change in the alignment of the metro the BMRCL should be prepared to consider that and implement it. An encroachment, however small it is, is a violation of the integrity of the garden. It would set a bad precedent and might lead to similar infringements in future, as it happened over a period of time with Cubbon Park, another landmark in the city. There is no dispute that a metro rail is needed for the city, but there is no need to sacrifice a part of the city’s valuable natural assets for it. The BMRCL should not stick to its obstinate position and must the heed the people’s voice.