Trees not being cut in Lalbagh for twin tunnel project: Government to Karnataka High Court

During an earlier hearing on October 25, advocate and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya represented Belawadi, raising concerns about the road project’s impact on 6.5 acres of Lalbagh’s land as well as a three-billion-year-old rock formation within the garden.

The court then sought the state’s reply by Tuesday on the issue of cutting trees. Representing the state, Advocate-General Shashikiran Shetty submitted, “As of now, the answer is no, milords.”

Upon hearing this, a bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha orally observed that the status quo would be maintained until the next hearing, adding that no interim order would be required at this stage.

On the petitioner’s side, senior advocate D R Ravishankar submitted, “Though it is a stillborn project on paper, they have already started the tendering process…”

The court then clarified that the decision on the interim order would apply only until December 9, when Belawadi’s petition will be heard along with the other petition against the twin tunnel project.