Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association gets Bengaluru police notice for opposing Pinkathon 2026: ‘Will take legal route’

“They have been using Cubbon Park for ages. We completely support their initiative and the cause behind the marathon. We have nothing against it. But to freely use the park for commercial purposes and not even participate in park conservation efforts or contribute to the infrastructure is unacceptable. This is not the only commercial event that has taken place within the park grounds. A lot of organisations that use the park’s services also have seen to it that they pay back with the upkeep of park infrastructure,” Umesh said.

“Now that the marathon is taking place, we intend to observe its aftermath and check how much waste and damage pile up after the large event. If there is significant harm to the premises, we will take the legal route,” he added.

The Indian Express tried reaching out to Akshay M Hakay, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Bengaluru Central, for a response on the matter, but he did not answer the calls.

The association also highlighted that last year’s RCB parade caused significant damages to the park’s greenery and fencing. The Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association had requested that the Pinkathon route be kept away from the park’s premises, besides seeking a total ban on large-scale commercial events within the park’s boundaries.

Unauthorised Secret Santa, blind date events

This isn’t the first time private entities have attempted to commercialise and urbanise Cubbon Park, which stands as one of the city’s last remaining green canopies. In May 2024, a circular was issued to protect the space, which limited unauthorised gatherings to just 20 people, and restricted activities to a designated zone between the BSNL gate and the Karnataka High Court parking lot.

Despite these regulations, several groups have attempted to host commercial activities on the premises without obtaining necessary permissions. For instance, in December 2024, a reading community called Cubbon Reads organised a Secret Santa event that led to public complaints and a crackdown by the authorities.

Similar issues resurfaced in August last year when the park became the unauthorised venue for a ‘blind date’ event. Despite charging participants Rs 999 via a website and attracting 1,400 interested sign-ups online, the organisers failed to secure permission for the event which was eventually halted by the Karnataka Horticulture Department.

Sathvi G Bhat is an intern with The Indian Express.