Bengalur: In an interesting turn of events, BJP MP from Bengaluru South Tejaswi Surya is representing a petitioner as a counsel in the Karnataka High Court, that has challenged the state Congress government's ambitious tunnel road project in Bengaluru City.
Two separate PILs have been filed in the Karnataka High Court -- one by Dr Adikeshavalu Ravindran and another by journalist turned actor Prakash Belavadi, challenging the 16.7 kms twin tunnel road that passes under Lalbagh Botanical Garden.
Tejaswi Surya, who is also a lawyer is counsel for Prakash Belavadi and the petition is heard by the division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonacha, challenging tender notice by the government and the BBMP (Now GBA).regarding the twin tunnel project.
During the hearing, the bench orally asked the government advocate to clarify the position on allegations of a proposal to cut trees in six acres of Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Tejaswi Surya said that the trees proposed to be cut in this area had been demarcated. Hefurther said that already the ingress and egress of public is restricted inside the park and submitted that the rock formation, which is millions of years old and also protected monument was under threat.
The bench decided to tag both the PILs and asked the government advocate to clear the government stand, before issuing notice to the GBA and the Geological Survey of India.
The PIL by Prakash Belavadi contended that the government had cordoned the areas for acquisition and are attempting to engage in tree felling and excavation. The petition said that the rock formation was 3-billion year old and if the project continues, it would become irreversible.
Quoting an expert committee report of May 2025, the PIL contended that the report had identified catastrophic gaps , including absence of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), aquifer damage risks and flood hazards. According to the petitioner, this report was deliberately withheld from the public and the tender process began in JUly 2025.
