Racecourse to morph into a garden

Racecourse to morph into a garden

Special Correspondent
— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Lung space:The Chief Minister declares that no towers will come up on the Bangalore Turf Club premises.
Bangalore: The State Government has decided to develop a 90-acre plot of the present Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) in the city as a public garden.

The Karnataka High Court on Monday ruled that the BTC should shift from its present premises on Racecourse Road before September 22, 2010.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said the Government would obey the court orders and would develop the area as a garden. The Government would cooperate with the BTC in identifying land for shifting the club, he said.

Taking note of the large-scale felling of trees on and around Racecourse Road and the failure of the authorities to plant trees, the High Court had repeatedly asked the State to desist from putting up any construction on any place in the present BTC area, and to maintain it as a mini-forest.

Asked whether there was any proposal under the consideration of the Government for construction of high rises in the BTC area, the Chief Minister said the Government would consider some other area for the purpose.

Stating that a lot of development works had been executed in Bangalore after the Bharatiya Janata Party Government came to power, Mr. Yeddyurappa said development would be expedited if the BJP came to power in the city corporation elections also. He added that the Government proposed to construct four bus terminals and vegetable markets in four locations in the city, 20 parking multi-storeyed complexes and 10 sky walks where the density of vehicles and pedestrians was high.