DKS announces ₹10-crore grant to develop Lalbagh to implement plans suggested by citizens

A ₹10-crore grant for the development of Lalbagh was announced by Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday, which will be used to implement several plans suggested by the citizens of Bengaluru.

He also promised to work with the Forest Department to identify locations on the city’s outskirts and develop tree parks, thereby creating more green spaces in Bengaluru, similar to Lalbagh and Cubbon Park.

Mr. Shivakumar made the announcement during the first of his six park walks under the newly launched ‘Walk with Bengaluru’ initiative, a programme aimed at interacting with citizens to understand on-ground challenges, gather valuable suggestions, and ensure that every voice contributes to the city’s progress. The first one was for the Bengaluru Central Corporation.

Mr. Shivakumar announced allocations for several key measures such as revamping the rose garden at Lalbagh, replacing the paid urinal system with free facilities, launching an everyday ambulance service, and appointing an on-site doctor.

He also assured that an open gym would be constructed.

Lalbagh walk

Mr. Shivakumar began the campaign at Lalbagh on Saturday at 7 a.m. and it continued until 11.30 a.m. He stopped to listen to the grievances of citizens who joined him during the morning walk. He was accompanied by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao, Urban Development Department ACS Tushar Giri Nath, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited Chief Executive Officer Karee Gowda, BSMILE Technical Director B.S. Prahallad, and other officials from the city’s central corporation.

Like in many parts of the city, Mr. Shivakumar spotted a pothole inside Lalbagh and directed officials to fix it. The officials noted that the pathways were last asphalted about a decade ago. One of them also suggested desilting and fencing the Lalbagh lake.

When the Minister called upon officials to respond to questions raised by citizens, ranging from streetlight issues to parking problems, the public urged Mr. Shivakumar to make such walks a regular feature. The issues revolved around familiar civic problems: garbage accumulation, potholes, property clearance delays, inadequate parking, poor infrastructure maintenance, and civic officials’ apathy toward citizens.

Underlying problems

Venu, a resident of South Bengaluru, suggested that lessons on civic sense be included in school textbooks to address future urban challenges. He also pointed out to poorly lit areas in the locality that pose safety risks for women.

“Beyond the permissible hours, many events take place in South Bengaluru, causing severe noise pollution. All these permissions are enabled by politicians themselves,” lamented Namitha Shetty, a regular walker at Lalbagh.

Another major concern raised by citizens was the deplorable condition of roads leading to hospitals.

Following his social media post about the initiative, netizens offered suggestions to the Deputy Chief Minister to visit certain areas to understand the ground reality. They shared photos of pothole-ridden, garbage-strewn, and flooded stretches to suggest that his visit would be useful if such locations are checked first-hand.

A few minutes before concluding the walk, Mr. Shivakumar spent some time by the lake, where a woman offered to sing a devotional song. He also expressed delight upon hearing visitors from different States praise the city

The ‘Walk with Bengaluru’ initiative comes against the backdrop of the GBA’s first meeting held on Friday, following the release of a draft outlining the newly formed 369 wards under the GBA jurisdiction about a week ago. Meanwhile, political parties have begun strategising for the upcoming civic body elections, which are expected to be held next year after a long gap.