Bengaluru residents protest to protect 3-billion-year-old Lalbagh rock from proposed road tunnel

Residents of Bengaluru are staging protests to protect an ancient rock formation estimated to have survived for 3 billion years. Protesters have been filmed hugging and wrapping their arms around the rock to save it from potential damage.

The demonstrations are driven by concerns over a proposed road tunnel project. The planned route of the tunnel is designed to pass directly beneath the historic Lalbagh Botanical Garden, where the ancient rock is located.

Prior to the public protests, a government-appointed panel had already flagged significant issues with the proposed tunnel plan. The panel specifically identified a proposed shaft within the Lalbagh Botanical Garden, calling it "environmentally unacceptable."

Following these initial concerns, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) appointed a new five-member panel in March to conduct a risk assessment of the geoheritage site. The committee was given a three-week deadline to compile and submit its findings regarding the potential impact of the construction.

The future of the road tunnel project is currently subject to judicial oversight. The High Court has declared that the awarding of any contracts for the project will be contingent upon the eventual outcomes of ongoing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed against it.