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Last Updated on March 24, 2026
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The opposition to the Bengaluru tunnel road project has been characterized by a coordinated effort between legal petitions, public demonstrations, and expert-led conventions.
Below is the updated list of key organizations and activists, now cited with the latest developments from late 2025 and early 2026.
1. Key Organizations in the Opposition
- Bengaluru Praja Vedike: This collective filed a major petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in September 2025, alleging the project was "hastily announced" and bypasses mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). The NGT has since issued notices to the state government and the Union Ministry of Environment.
- Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV): Represented by activists like Shaheen Shasa, the group argues that the project ignores the city’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan. They have publicly advocated for reallocating the ₹18,000+ crore budget toward doubling the BMTC bus fleet and creating bus-priority lanes instead of "car-centric" tunnels.
- Save Bangalore Committee (SBC): In November 2025, this committee organized a "People’s Convention" where they flagged over 120 flaws in the Detailed Project Report (DPR), including the risk of man-made seismic activity and damage to the city's water security.
- Fridays For Future–Karnataka & AISA: These groups led a "flash protest" inside Lalbagh Botanical Garden in November 2025 to protect the 3-billion-year-old Peninsular Gneiss rock formation from proposed construction shafts.
2. Prominent Individual Activists
- Kathyayini Chamaraj (CIVIC Bangalore): As a co-petitioner in the NGT case, she has challenged the government's claim that tunnels are exempt from environmental clearance. She has been a vocal critic of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, arguing it disempowers citizens in favor of arbitrary "non-plan" projects.
- Sandeep Anirudhan (Citizens’ Agenda for Bengaluru): Leading the "Bengaluru TownHall" protests at Freedom Park, Anirudhan has emphasized that the project lacks approval from the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) and serves to further disrupt the city's fragile lake buffer zones.
- D.T. Devare (Bangalore Environment Trust): A key figure in the legal battle, Devare has highlighted the ecological sensitivity of the tunnel alignment, particularly where it intersects with the Hebbal Valley stormwater corridor.
- Prakash Belawadi: The actor-activist has questioned the basic logic of placing a tunnel directly beneath an existing road and a Metro line, calling for a focus on expanding the suburban rail network instead.
Summary of Legal Challenges (2025-2026)
| Forum | Case Type | Primary Petitioner | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Green Tribunal (NGT) | Environmental Challenge | Bengaluru Praja Vedike & D.T. Devare | Notices issued to State & SEIAA. |
| Karnataka High Court | Public Interest Litigation | Tejasvi Surya & Others | Court seeking clarification on tree-removal at Lalbagh. |
Save Lalbagh: Experts Warn Tunnel Project Threatens Iconic Garden This video features expert warnings from the Lalbagh advisory committee and environmentalists regarding the geological and botanical risks the tunnel poses to the heritage site.
Would you like me to track any upcoming hearing dates for the NGT or High Court cases?
