Amid parks Bill row, data shows that Karnataka manages only 28 major parks, gardens

Amid the storm kicked up by the passage of the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act Amendment Bill, 2026, data from the Horticulture Department show that it manages only 28 parks and botanical gardens spread across 1,287 acres in Karnataka. In contrast, there are around 5,000 parks in the State, including 1,353 under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and municipal corporations in other cities.

The amendment allows up to 5% of any park or garden to be used for public infrastructure or utility projects, and Lalbagh, the city’s premier green space, is under consideration for the tunnel road project.

Speaking to The Hindu, a senior official said, “Karnataka, and Bengaluru as a metropolis, fares better than other States, including Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, in terms of parks and gardens. For instance, Tamil Nadu has the Government Botanical Garden, spread over 55 acres in Ooty, while Andhra Pradesh has the 26-acre Padmapuram Botanical Gardens in Araku Valley. These gardens cannot be compared with Lalbagh or Cubbon Park, which are spread across hundreds of acres.”

The official further noted that six major botanical gardens, including Lalbagh in Bengaluru, have been developed since 2011.

“We have developed the Dr. M.H. Marigowda National Botanical Garden in Tumakuru, the Lingambudhi Botanical Garden in Mysuru, the Terekanahalli Botanical Garden in Sirsi, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Botanical Garden in Kannamangala near Whitefield, the Visveswaraiah Botanical Garden in Chikkaballapura, and Lalbagh. There are also a good number of parks in residential areas under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) in Bengaluru and in other cities under municipal corporations,” the official said.

However, the official agreed that building public infrastructure in gardens or parks would impact biodiversity.

“Whenever an infrastructure project is implemented, some digging is inevitable. This loosens the soil, and trees may have to be removed, leading to the reshaping or redesigning of gardens and parks. Gradually, as habitats disappear, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles and other smaller species will also disappear,” the official said.

Seema Mandoli, author and faculty member at Azim Premji University, emphasised the need for more parks in Bengaluru.

“I live in Sarjapur and there is no park here where families and friends can spend time. Parks are important because they help people of all age groups improve their health through walking and playing, and reduce mental stress and anxiety. If you put one person in a mall and another in a park, I am sure the person coming out of the park will be happier than the one who spent time in a mall,” she said.

She added, “If I want to take my children out or spend time amidst nature, I either have to travel to smaller parks in Domlur or Indiranagar, or spend hours travelling to Cubbon Park or Lalbagh. The government or the GBA does not appear to have any plans to develop parks in and around Sarjapur or Electronic City.”