Karnataka set to redraw Cubbon Park boundary

BENGALURU: Litigation by several citizens and associations of Bengaluru to ensure that buildings within the boundaries of the sprawling 193-acre Cubbon Park are removed has come to a naught.

The state Cabinet on Wednesday decided instead to redraw the boundary itself, excluding all buildings within it.

Buildings include the Karnataka High Court annexe, the Press Club, the Indira Gandhi children's library, the Secretariat club, the Venkatappa art gallery, the YMCA and the Yavanika state youth centre. The reason for redrawing the boundaries, according to an informal briefing given to the media, is: “We are unable to take up repairs and maintenance of these buildings, as the Horticulture Department has to do it. This is not happening, so by excluding the buildings, the Public Works Department can take over the repairs“.

A committee headed by Development Commissioner Latha Krishna Rau will oversee the maintenance of these buildings. The proposed Cubbon Park Authority will only have control over the area other than the buildings.

The boundaries for Cubbon Park has now been fixed like this: the north end abutting Queens road, the south end abutting Cenotaph road, the east abutting Kasturba road and the west abutting Pete road. All the buildings are said to occupy 93 acres, reducing the official area of the park to 100 acres.