Cubbon Park building row: Officials looking out for alternative land

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Following a strong protest by the citizens towards the construction of a tenstorey building inside the Cubbon Park, the officials of the public works department (PWD) have been instructed to look for other land for the implementation of the project, sources from PWD confirmed on Tuesday.

However the officials added that there has been no change in the plan so far, but they have been asked to consider other spaces if available.

Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association and several other forums had staged a protest against the government’s proposal to construct a 10-storey building inside Cubbon Park.

A signature campaign has also been started to save the city’s ‘lung space.’ According to sources, the strong backlash from the public forums has made the officials look for an alternative land.

The vacant land inside the Central college is one of the shortlisted lands and the proposal would be sent to the government after approval from the senior officials, sources added.

The government is planning to demolish the old Election Commission office and construct a 10-storey building.

The building committee of the High Court had asked the government for an annexe for its functioning. Historians also opposed the idea of demolishing the old EC office and instead demanded it to be converted into a museum.

Since the Karnataka Government passed the Park Preservation Act, of 1975, no construction work was allowed inside Cubbon Park.