Bengaluru: Faced with criticism over proposed ‘art park’ inside Cubbon Park in the heart of Bengaluru, the horticulture department Wednesday said there was never any formal proposal to set up a park and the “idea has been dropped”.
With regular walkers threatening to launch a campaign by complaining to the governor, the horticulture officials clarified they have not received any proposal for setting up art park.
Shamla Iqbal, secretary, horticulture department, said, “A representative of Museum of Art and Photography approached the deputy director, Cubbon Park, and they were inspecting the land inside the park. However, there was no formal approach from them to the department. We are now informed they themselves have dropped the idea of a park.”
Bangalore Central MP PC Mohan called the department’s decision to drop the project “a big victory for Bengaluru”. “The five-acre art park proposed under the pretext of privatisation was scrapped after my strong opposition,” he said.
Umesh S, president of Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association, said, “If there was no proposal, what was stopping the authorities from making it public in the initial stage itself? We demand that the govt declare it will not permit any fresh proposals inside Cubbon Park.”
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