'Victory for Bengaluru': No art complex to come up in Cubbon Park, officials confirm

BJP leader PC Mohan had strongly opposed the proposed Art Park in Cubbon Park, calling it a violation of environmental laws.

The Horticulture Department has put an end to concerns over potential construction inside Cubbon Park, confirming that no Art Complex or related structure will be built within the city's iconic green space, The Hindu reported.

A Rosy Trumpet Tree or Pink Tabebuia in full bloom in Cubbon Park.

For the past two weeks, regular visitors to the park have expressed fears that a new concrete structure might be in the works. These concerns arose following reports that a private museum on MG Road had shown interest in establishing an art park within Cubbon Park as an extension of its gallery.

BJP leader PC Mohan had strongly opposed the proposed Art Park in Cubbon Park, calling it a violation of environmental laws and a threat to the city's already shrinking green spaces.

On Wednesady, taking to X, Mohan said, “Victory for Bengaluru! The 5-acre ‘Art Park’ in Cubbon Park, proposed under the pretext of privatization, has been scrapped after my strong opposition.”

Raising concerns over the project, Mohan had stated that the Art Park goes against the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975, which prohibits construction within designated park areas.

"When Bengaluru is already grappling with shrinking green spaces, the proposed Art Park in Cubbon Park is a disaster. It violates the law and must be scrapped," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Official clarification

However, officials from the Horticulture Department have clarified that no formal proposal for the project was ever submitted, the report added.

Shamla Iqbal, secretary to the government, Horticulture Department, stated that while the idea was discussed in a meeting, it never reached the stage of an official proposal.

Cubbon Park, a heritage landmark and a vital lung space in the city, has long been at the center of debates over conservation.