HC annexe: As Cubbon Park plan draws ire, govt looks for new site

Bengaluru: Amid mounting public pressure, signature campaigns and protests against the government’s plan to build an annexe to the Karnataka High Court inside Cubbon Park, the Public Works Department (PWD) started scouting for another site on Monday to “protect Bengaluru’s largest lung space”.

The vacant land situated inside Central College is one of the places being considered for constructing the 10-storey building. Considering its proximity to the Metro station and the city civil court, officials believe it is the right place, provided they get the approval of the Higher Education department. 

During Monday’s search, the PWD officials could not find any other suitable land in the vicinity but they insisted that the department is “not keen” on building a high-rise inside Cubbon Park.

Last week, DH published an article stating that the government is reviving a plan to build a 10-storey structure by demolishing the old Election Commission office abutting the Press Club. The discussion follows a request from the Building Committee of the HC, which has cited a court order dated October 2019. 

“We have started looking for other places in and around the
high court. Once the land is identified, we will place it before the Cabinet for approval,” a PWD official told DH. He also said the department is not keen on building any high-rise inside Cubbon Park, citing the public opposition to the project.

No construction activity has taken place within Cubbon Park ever since the government came up with the Karnataka Government Park (Preservation) Act in 1975.

Historian Suresh Moona spoke against razing the old Election Commission office, which is a heritage site. “A huge amount of pollution and debris will be generated in the process. What matters is the decentralisation of administration and bureaucracy.” 

Referring to the old EC building, Moona suggested that heritage sites be used in meaningful ways by transforming them into museums or information centres.