The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) has recommended to the Karnataka government that Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park be closed for motorised traffic and parking of vehicles. "DULT is of the view that reopening of Cubbon Park to motorised traffic is not advisable and parking of motorised vehicles should not be allowed in Cubbon Park," said DULT Commissioner V Manjula.
Manjula wrote a letter recommending this move to Rajender Kataria, Secretary to Government in the Department of Horticulture and Sericulture. In the letter, she said that even as the government is considering reopening the park for motorised traffic, the directorate has received representations from the public to ensure a traffic-free Cubbon Park.
"There is some thinking on the part of the government to reopen Cubbon Park for motorised traffic. At the same time, DULT has also received representations from citizens groups to intercede on their behalf for ensuring traffic-free Cubbon Park. DULT has examined the matter in detail," she said.
Manjula said a vast green space such as Cubbon Park in the heart of the city should be preserved.
"In various cities across the world, spaces in the city are being reclaimed for the use of pedestrians and cyclists. Cubbon Park would be an ideal place to be reserved for pedestrians and cyclists," she observed.
The senior official suggested that pedestrians and cyclists can use the park as a shortcut to reach their destinations and pointed out that the motorised traffic passing through the park will not be inconvenienced as there are alternate routes.
DULT is an urban body responsible for overseeing all the urban land transport initiatives in Urban and Local Planning Areas of Karnataka.
Cubbon Park is located between the High Court and Chinnaswamy Stadium and close to the Vidhana Soudha in the centre of the city.
Cubbon Park was reopened to the public last month at stipulated times in the mornings and evenings in May, after it was shut during the COVID-19 lockdown in March. Currently, motorised traffic is not allowed inside the park.