Cubbon Park may soon be closed for traffic on all weekends

BENGALURU: In a move aimed at environment conservation, the Horticulture Department is considering closing Cubbon Park, one of the largest lung spaces in the heart of the city, to traffic on weekends. A decision on this is likely by next week.

Earlier, vehicular movement had been banned inside Cubbon Park on weekends, but due to traffic congestion roads all around, the Horticulture Department, about six months ago, agreed to allow traffic on the second and fourth Saturday of the month on trial basis.

As it is, traffic is not allowed inside Cubbon Park on Sundays. Now, the Horticulture Department is thinking of banning traffic on all Saturdays of the month too. This comes after a meeting of the Cubbon Park conservation committee, BBMP, walkers’ association and the Urban Development Department discussed a recent letter from the police commissioner to allow traffic inside Cubbon Park on all general holidays.

Umesh, president of the Cubbon Park walkers’ association said, “Traffic was allowed on the second and fourth Saturdays on a trial basis for three months, but now it has been six months. At the meeting, we decided that traffic should not be allowed on weekends and even vendors should not be allowed inside. In case of emergencies, fire tenders and ambulances will be allowed anyway. Lalbagh and Cubbon Park should be saved for the younger generations”.

Traffic movement inside Cubbon Park was banned under The Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975. If traffic is banned on Saturdays too, it may result in more traffic congestion on roads around the park and motorists will have to take a 2-km detour. The Horticulture Department will also consider the police commissioner’s request to allow traffic on general holidays and then take a decision in the coming days.