Activists led by the president of the Krishna Apartment Residents' Association are fighting tooth and nail against the cutting of trees for parking inside the park where a war memorial has been planned. The BBMP has succumbed to pressure and acquired the land of the Indira Gandhi musical fountain to provide parking space for visitors to the war memorial and other public and private offices located in the vicinity. The BBMP had proposed basement parking by acquiring the park land and axing a few trees, said Mr Sudhir Pai, president of the Krishna Apartment Residents' Association.
The Karnataka Parks, Play-field and Open Spaces (preservation and regulation) Act 1985 does not permit the BBMP to acquire the land for basement parking, and green activists have been fighting the BBMP's proposal which led to the plan being dropped. However, it has now been revived with the BBMP acquiring the land for the car park under the garb of road widening. "Even if they widen the road, it should be in the larger interests of the public. After widening the road, two-way traffic should be allowed to ease congestion on the road. By making the stretch two-way, airport-bound vehicles can reach Bellary Road without going to Chalukya Circle," Mr Pai suggested.
"The traffic cops can make use of mobile or make-shift dividers can be used to man the traffic during the peak hours. The width of the road can be decided depending upon the traffic density with the help of mobile road dividers and thereby reduce the congestion," said Mr Pai. The BBMP authorities said that on an average, three meters of park land has been acquired for the road widening. No trees are being axed for the widening. At present, the widened road could be used for parking. Once the entire stretch of T. Chowdaiah (Sankey) Road is widened, the stretch near the Indira Gandhi Park may be widened by axing the old trees, said the authorities.