Don’t want wider roads at the cost of park, say residents

BENGALURU:About 400 Basavanagudi residents have submitted objections to Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), opposing a road widening project proposed in the Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2031, which would come up by replacing a park.

The park in question is the historic Tagore Park beside Tagore Circle in Basavanagudi. The widening of BP Wadia Road has been proposed in the RMP. BBMP had constructed an underpass in the area despite opposition from residents.

On Saturday and Sunday, an event was organised at the park where three proposals to redesign Gandhi Bazaar were exhibited, and residents’ feedbacks were taken for the choice of design. At the event, K R Mohan, a resident of Basavanagudi, brought up the issue of the possibility of the park making way for the project.

“We do not want to destroy the park as it is a historical place. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore have visited the park. Three months ago, 400 residents filed objections with the BDA against the project,” Mohan told The New Indian Express.

Mansoor Ali, another resident of the area, said the plan should focus on “pedestrianising” the road instead of widening it. “People should be made to use public transport more. I stay near South End circle, and I often park a bit away from the road and walk along it. Other residents too prefer to walk,” he said.

B S Sathyanarayana, former Mayor of Bengaluru and currently the corporator for the Basavanagudi ward, has been a resident of the area throughout his life. “The park is like a monument and should be be preserved, and we will not let anything happen to it. We have a lot of sentiments attached with it and will fight the decision. The RMP is supposed to be presented at the corporation but this was not done,” he said. BDA Executive Engineer (South) Gopal Krishna said he was not aware of this particular project.