Thousands attend silent walkathon to protest Turahalli tree park

Thousands of residents from South Bengaluru and other parts of the city took part in a walkathon on Sunday morning to protest the state government’s decision to convert the Turahalli forest patch into a tree park.

They arrived at Turahalli forest at 5.30 am and held a silent walk around the perimeters of the forest patch, holding banners and posters explaining the significance of Bengaluru’s last-standing natural forest patch.

Organised under the banner of 'Save Turahalli', the walkathon has been supported by volunteers of the Save Turahalli campaign, citizen groups such as Changemakers of Kanakapura Road, RRNagar-I-Care, Mission Disha Group and Clean Up Turahalli.

It was held in three locations around the forest spread across 700 acres. Nearly 1,000 participants began their walk from the Turahalli tree park gate, while more than 1,000 walkers began their walk from Turahalli minor forest gate. Another 300 to 400 people joined the event from the BDA sculpture park.

Organisers decided to hold the walkathon from three locations keeping the Covid-19 situation in mind.

Chaitanya Subramanya, a resident of Talaghattapura, said the fight would continue until the government dropped the project under Bengaluru Mission-2022.

“The walkathon received an overwhelming response, suggesting people’s stand on the issue,” Subramanya said. “People suggested that they are passionate about letting the forest thrive on its own without human intervention."

Leo Saldanha, chairperson of the Urban Forest Committee of Turahalli Forest, said: "It was disappointing that the Karnataka Forest Department locked the gates to the forest and blocked over 3,000 to 4000 people (families with children) gathered to celebrate the forest’s existence despite urbanisation."

A group of senior citizens flagged off the walkathon that received support from children, young couples and senior citizens. The walkathon was a zero-waste event since participants had been asked to bring their own water bottles and volunteers ensured there was no littering.

"We ensured that even the banana skins were taken away by the residents of RR Nagar to convert it into compost," explained Abdul Aleem, the co-founder of Changemakers of Kanakapura.

Participants were instructed to remain silent throughout the route and experience the chirping of birds along the forest periphery in the early hours of the day.

Citizens are planning to step up the protest by forming a massive human chain around the forest patch next Sunday.