New 153-acre lung space proposed for Bengaluru in the name of Basavanna

More than 150 years after the last big lung space was created in Bengaluru, the State government on Friday approved setting up of Vishwaguru Basavanna Biodiversity Park in North Bengaluru with an initial funding of ₹50 crore.

The new lung space on an area of 153 acres currently has acacia and eucalyptus plantation, which will be in phases replaced by medicinal plants and native trees.

“The dream of having a large lung space in northern part of Bengaluru is more than a-decade-and-a-half old. Finally, the government has agreed to fund ₹50 crore in the first phase while the overall project would cost about ₹250 crore. Many companies have also come forward to provide funds under the CSR activities,” Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre told presspersons after the Cabinet approved the project.

While the first botanical garden Lalbagh was laid in 1760 on an area of 240 acres, the work on Cubbon Park, another big lung space, on an area of 194 acres started in 1870.

Mr. Khandre said that the development of the new botanical garden would include setting up of tree park to have native trees that could attract birds, a section for medicinal plants and interpretation centre among others.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the revised estimates of ₹16,876 crore for Corridor 2 and 4 in the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project.

According to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, the revised estimates would include ₹357 crore from the Centre for land acquisition and ₹3,066 crore by the State for land acquisition, and ₹2,135 crore for the rolling stock.

Among others, the Cabinet approved setting up of Karnataka GST Analytics Portal at a cost of ₹19 crore and The Karnataka Jnana Bhandar Manuscripts and Digitilisation Bill.

“The new legislation will help map and digitise manuscripts, stone inscriptions and copper plate inscriptions that are currently in private possession,” Mr. Patil said.