Why Karnataka’s two new laws sparked controversy over Bengaluru tunnel road project

The article discusses the controversy surrounding two Bills passed by the Karnataka state legislature: The Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and The Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026. These laws, passed without debate, are seen as facilitating the controversial Rs 40,000 crore Bengaluru tunnel road project, a pet project of CM D K Shivakumar. The Parks Bill allows the diversion of up to 5% of protected park land for public utilities, drawing criticism from the opposition and environmentalists who fear commercialization and impact on green spaces like Lalbagh. The BMLTA Bill provides retrospective clearances for major urban mobility projects initiated since 2023, effectively circumventing BMLTA's evaluation, which had previously criticized the tunnel road project for not aligning with the city's Comprehensive Mobility Plan and Climate Action Plan. The Adani Group emerged as the lowest bidder for the tunnel road project, adding to the controversy.