Bengaluru’s Green Cover Under Threat: 419 Trees Face Axe for University Expansion
Environmentalists Condemn Move, Call It a Builder-Led Land Grab Under the Guise of Development
Bengaluru, June 26, 2025 – Even as the Karnataka government mulls declaring Bengaluru University’s Jnana Bharathi campus a “heritage site,” the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has moved to cut down 419 trees to pave the way for new academic and research blocks. The controversial decision, part of a ₹100-crore infrastructure project under the PM-USHA scheme, has drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists who allege that the move prioritizes construction over conservation in a city already gasping for breath.
The Project: A Threat to Bengaluru’s Fragile Ecosystem?
The proposed construction includes an Academic Building (107,376 sq ft, three floors) and a Research Building (16,163 sq ft, two floors), intended to foster studies in digital education, climate change, AI, and sustainable development. While the university claims the project will elevate its global standing, activists argue that the destruction of 419 trees—many of them decades-old—will further degrade Bengaluru’s fast-disappearing green cover.
A public notice issued on June 20 has given citizens just 10 days to raise objections, a window environmentalists say is too short for meaningful opposition.
“Once a Forest, Always a Forest”: Activists Decry Hypocrisy
Dr. TJ Renuka Prasad, a prominent environmentalist, slammed the move, stating that Jnana Bharathi is part of a 244-acre forest in Nagarbhavi and falls under the BR-2 Bio Reserve Forest category.
“The Supreme Court has ruled that once a forest, always a forest. Yet, the university has already begun clearing smaller trees as if it’s a done deal,” he said.
— Dr. TJ Renuka Prasad, Environmentalist
Challenging the justification for the project, Dr. Prasad questioned why the university cannot opt for vertical expansion instead of razing trees. “Why not build multi-story structures on existing land? Why must every ‘development’ project in Bengaluru come at the cost of its environment?”
He also raised suspicions of builder lobbies influencing the decision, alleging that the move is a land grab disguised as educational progress. “If the government truly wants to decentralize education, why not allocate 100 acres in other districts? Why always target Bengaluru’s last remaining green spaces?”
University Defends Move, Calls Trees “Non-Traditional”
University officials dismissed the concerns, claiming the trees marked for felling—primarily Eucalyptus (Nilgiri) and Akshaya species—are “not rare” and do not belong to the bio-park zone.
*“We have planted over 6 lakh saplings and maintain a well-developed bio-park. The selected area is officially designated for development, and we are committed to environmentally conscious growth,”* a university source said.
However, activists counter that even non-native species play a crucial role in mitigating pollution in a city where respiratory illnesses, heart diseases, and skin conditions are rising alarmingly.
A City Sacrificed for “Development”?
Bengaluru, once known as the “Garden City,” has lost nearly 80% of its green cover in the last four decades due to unchecked urbanization. The latest move comes just weeks after Deputy CM DK Shivakumar performed the ‘Guddali Pooja’ (inauguration ceremony) for the project, signaling the government’s approval.
Environmentalists warn that each felled tree worsens the city’s air quality, water scarcity, and urban heat island effect. “We cannot afford to lose even a single tree, whether it’s rare or not. The builders’ mafia is exploiting the name of education to destroy our environment,” Dr. Prasad asserted.
The Way Forward: Can Bengaluru Balance Growth and Green?
As the 10-day objection window nears its end, citizens and activists are mobilizing to challenge the BBMP’s decision. The larger question remains: Should Bengaluru’s last green lungs be sacrificed for infrastructure, or can the government find a sustainable middle path?
For now, the axes are ready, and time is running out.
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