Cubbon Park walkers' association opposes art park project

Bengaluru: The Cubbon Park Walkers' Association, representing thousands of citizens who frequent the city’s largest green space, has strongly opposed a proposal to establish an art park within the park premises.

The association suspects that the Horticulture Department is under pressure to approve the plan, allegedly driven by a senior bureaucrat without the knowledge of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or Horticulture Minister SS Mallikarjuna.

"Cubbon Park is a vital lung space and a cherished heritage site, not a commercial hub," said S Umesh, the association’s president and a practising advocate.

"The proposed art park will disrupt the park’s ecosystem and compromise its serenity and sanctity. We will not stand by and let it be exploited for private gains."

Walkers first learned of the proposal during a visit to the Horticulture Department last week when they noticed project proponents surveying the park. The revelation came as a shock, as the proposal had never been discussed in any public forum.

Department officials were unavailable for comment.

It is understood that a senior IAS officer has been actively pushing for the project.