📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gpkp
Local
Bengaluru Citizens Challenge 5% Park Land Rule at Lalbagh
✍️ News18
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 03:36 PM
👁 18
Residents of Bengaluru are contesting the state’s 5% rule that mandates a portion of city land be set aside for parks, arguing it hampers development projects around the historic Lalbagh Botanical Garden.
The Karnataka government’s 5% rule requires that five per cent of a city’s land be reserved for parks and open spaces. The rule, intended to preserve green areas, has sparked protests from residents in Bengaluru who say it limits the availability of land for new housing and commercial projects.
The controversy centers on the Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a heritage site that has long been a focal point for civic activism. Citizens claim that the rule forces the city to divert land that could otherwise be used for infrastructure and economic development.
City officials have defended the regulation, stating that it is a safeguard against unchecked urban sprawl and that it aligns with national environmental guidelines. They argue that the rule is essential for maintaining Bengaluru’s ecological balance.
The debate has highlighted a broader tension between conservation and growth, with local groups demanding a review of the rule to allow for more flexible land use while still protecting key green spaces.
The controversy centers on the Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a heritage site that has long been a focal point for civic activism. Citizens claim that the rule forces the city to divert land that could otherwise be used for infrastructure and economic development.
City officials have defended the regulation, stating that it is a safeguard against unchecked urban sprawl and that it aligns with national environmental guidelines. They argue that the rule is essential for maintaining Bengaluru’s ecological balance.
The debate has highlighted a broader tension between conservation and growth, with local groups demanding a review of the rule to allow for more flexible land use while still protecting key green spaces.