Bengaluru South Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, 4 September alleged that the Karnataka government had systematically undermined three critical laws safeguarding Bengaluru's parks, lakes, and coordinated urban planning — all, he claimed, to clear the path for proposed tunnel road projects across the city.

Three Laws Under Fire

Addressing reporters, Surya identified the three targeted legislations: the Parks Act, the Karnataka Tank Conservation Act, and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Act. 'The Parks Act protected the parks, the Tank Act protected the lakes, and the BMLTA Act ensured scientific, coordinated urban planning. The state government has attacked all three Acts,' he said.

According to Surya, amendments to the Parks Act were introduced to enable the acquisition of green spaces at Sankey Tank, Lalbagh, and Krishna Rao Park for the proposed long tunnel project. The amendment reportedly makes the diversion and sale of up to five per cent of park land legally permissible — a change that triggered a significant public backlash.

Lake Buffer Zones Slashed

Surya alleged that the Karnataka Tank Conservation Act was amended to facilitate a short tunnel project near Hebbal Lake, for which 3.5 acres of lake land is reportedly required. He claimed the amendment reduced the mandatory lake buffer zone from 30 metres to just 3 metres, calling the change 'as good as having no buffer zone at all.'

The MP warned that the erosion of lake land carries consequences far beyond ecology. Bengaluru, once celebrated as the 'city of lakes' with over 1,000 lakes, now has fewer than 200, according to Surya — a decline he attributed to decades of encroachment. 'Most of Bengaluru's drinking water needs are met through borewells, which are dependent on the underground water and aquifers of the city. So if you kill the lakes, you are literally killing the underground water sources and aquifers of the city,' he said.

BMLTA Amendment and Urban Planning Concerns

On the BMLTA Act, Surya said Section 19 of the legislation required the state government to submit all infrastructure proposals to the authority for scientific scrutiny and inter-agency coordination. He alleged the government amended the Act specifically because the BMLTA had become a legal obstacle to pushing through the tunnel road project without adequate review.

'The BMLTA Act was passed by the Bommai government after 18 years of continuous citizen activism in the city. Now, that also needs to be restored,' Surya said. He demanded the full withdrawal of amendments to both the Tank Conservation Act and the BMLTA Act.

Government's Response and BJP's Campaign

Following a large public outcry, the Karnataka government reportedly promised to review the Parks Act amendment. Surya, however, expressed scepticism. 'We don't know what this review will mean. We will be watching it and will ensure that it is reviewed and taken back to the same position as it was earlier,' he said.

Surya framed the BJP's campaign as a broader civic movement — not merely opposition politics — aimed at protecting Bengaluru's 'lung spaces,' long-term water security, and the integrity of its urban planning framework. He thanked residents for their vocal opposition and vowed to sustain the campaign until the amendments are reversed. 'We will continue building this civic momentum until the state withdraws the draconian amendments made to the Lake Act and also to the BMLTA Act,' he said.

The controversy comes amid growing concerns over Bengaluru's infrastructure expansion and its impact on the city's already stressed ecological systems.