Bengaluru’s green heart near Cantonment Station gets biodiversity heritage tag: Report

The Karnataka government has designated a 8.61-acre green area in Bengaluru as a Biodiversity Heritage Site, ensuring protection of 371 mature trees.

Published on: Sep 11, 2025, 19:13:21 IST

By HT News Desk, Bengaluru

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In a big win for the city’s environmentalists and heritage lovers, the Karnataka government has officially declared an 8.61-acre green stretch near Bengaluru’s Cantonment Railway Station as a Biodiversity Heritage Site.

The lush area in Bengaluru, home to 371 trees and rich in history, received formal protection under the Biological Diversity Act.

Tucked in the heart of a congested and rapidly urbanising part of the city, this lush patch, home to 371 mature trees across 50 species, has long served as a much-needed "green lung" in central Bengaluru. It now gets formal protection under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, as per a report by news agency PTI.

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The government order, dated September 10, noted that this space plays a critical role in filtering the city’s air and noise pollution, especially around the chaotic Cantonment Railway Junction, which sees heavy vehicle movement from all sides.

Beyond the ecological value, the site is steeped in history: once part of the old parade ground, it is associated with colonial-era development and is even believed to be a spot where Mahatma Gandhi addressed freedom fighters.

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Interestingly, this decision follows a public outcry earlier this year. The land, which belongs to the Bangalore South-West Railway, had been leased to a private company for commercial development, sparking fears of mass tree-felling. In response, environmental groups pushed for protection.

The Karnataka Biodiversity Board, led by Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, launched a public consultation and Bengaluru residents responded in droves. Thousands supported the call to save the trees.

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Listening to the people, the state stepped in to preserve the space. With the new Biodiversity Heritage Site status, the area is now protected from future development, ensuring that this historic, tree-rich patch remains a green sanctuary in the city’s core.

(With inputs from PTI)

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.

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