Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday defended the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which was passed in the State Legislature without discussion. The Bill, which provides for 5% alienation of parks and is seen as a dilution of the earlier stringent Act, is speculated to have been passed to enable the proposed tunnel work.

Stating that Lal Bagh will not be affected, he said, “Some space in some corner could be used for machinery for about six months to one year.”

When pressed on the diversion of park land, he shot back, “Shall I give the list of parks that the previous governments have used? They have used parks. Come to Sadashivanagar, closer to my place and see what they have done to the park near my house.” He further said that six tree parks are being developed across the city in about 5,000 acres.