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Petition launched: Halt butchery of 368 Mature Trees at Cantonment Railway Station

Update: 2 pm 1 May 8000 signatures to save the Cantonment Trees, Seems like the powers that be are listening to citizen voices. Emails of objections poured in , as did signatures on our petition. The fight is not over, but the trees and #HeritageBeku just saw some light at the end of a dark tunnel. Take a bow, all of you . A few mentions


We started the petition the night of 29 April . Bengaluru clearly cares , and thanks to you, we rapidly crossed 3000 signatures by the next morning - in just one day, 5000 signatures in 2 days and are at 7500 now at 2.5 days . We should hit 10K before we meet the Forests minister- so let’s make it happen?


Deccan Herald
Deccan Herald
Indian Express
Indian Express
Bangalore Mirror 1 May
Bangalore Mirror 1 May
Times of India
Times of India

Look again at the pictures of those magnificent old trees .. 54 floors of commerce does NOT balance that butchery of giving, generous green

…...

Heritage Beku started a petition : *Sign & share to save Cantonment Station 368 Trees* on the night of 29th April . We requested to

please sign and share as we are tired of Railways highhandedness and its GoI indifference to the plight of local Bangalore Citizens. It’s like we don’t have a real voice because we are outside of the country’s capital . Heritage Beku also forgive the arbitrary and autocratic destruction of those beautiful railway platform arches.

Read the petition here :

Halt butchery of 368 Mature Trees at Cantonment Railway Station for Commercial Development

“As a resident of Bangalore, I watch helplessly as our city's greenery is rapidly replaced with concrete structures. No place is more symbolic of this decline than the Cantonment Railway Station, a landmark carrying deep roots in the heart and history of this city. However, our beloved railway station is under threat. An autocratic decision has been made to cut down 368 mature trees on this heritage railway land to facilitate a commercial project. Baghmane Builders will lease 54 floors of prime real estate from Railways for a tech park. Land area: 8.6 acres. Total built-up area: 3.2 million sq. ft.  3 towers: each with 3B+G+17F. 


Ignorance and misguided priorities saw us lose the signature arched platform at the Railway Station. This cannot be our fate yet again. Our desire for economic progress should not blind us to the ongoing environmental erosion.


Bangalore's citizens not only admire the aesthetic value of these beautiful trees but also understand their importance in our fight against increasing pollution levels. According to the Indian State of Forest Report (2019), Bangalore has lost 88.96 sq km of its green cover in the past decade. The errant free reign of these development projects must be checked. Railways want to take full control, utterly disregarding Bangalore's desperate need for greenery and the citizens' pleas for sustainable development.


We cannot stand by as more ecological butchery happens before our eyes.Join us in urging the authorities to reconsider this decision. Make them aware of the significance of these trees to Cantonment Railway Station, its heritage, and the people of Bangalore. We need solutions that respect both our environment and our cultural heritage. Sign the petition and add your voice to save our trees and protect the Cantonment Railway Station's legacy. Let's defend the greenery of Bangalore together.

 

Useful Links : 

 


Ramjee Chandran, Creator, History of Bangalore Series on World Heritage Day 2025

The youtube link of the chat with Ramjee Chandran on 18 April 2025:



Quick Recap


On World Heritage Day 2025, Ramjee Chandran, Creator of the History of Bangalore Podcast series and Priya Chetty-Rajagopal , Founder , Heritage Beku, engaged in a wide-ranging discussion about their shared interests in history, heritage, and conservation efforts in Bangalore with the main focus on Ramjee's popular podcast series. Ramjee is known for storytelling with a focus on historical narratives, 9particularly surrounding influential dynasties in South India) founded and hosts the History of Bangalore, available on Spotify,. Instagram and You tube They explored various initiatives to preserve and promote the city's cultural and environmental heritage, including research on Bangalore's history, efforts to protect green spaces and even animal welfare projects. The conversation also touched on their collaborative plans for future projects and the importance of making historical information more accessible to the public.



Summary

Collaborating on Heritage Initiatives

Priya and Ramjee discussed their passion for heritage and the need to collaborate on various initiatives. They highlighted the importance of understanding and loving heritage to save it. Priya mentioned the work of Heritage Beku and the need for primary research, which is not possible for the general public. Ramjee shared his experience in running publications and his understanding of Bangalore's continuity. They discussed the potential for collaboration and the need to enthuse others to join their efforts.


Ramjee's Extensive Research on Bangalore

Ramjee discussed his extensive research on the history of Bangalore, which he has been conducting for the past year. He emphasized that his work is deeply research-based, using primary sources, and covers the history of the region from 350 AD to the present day. Ramjee also mentioned that he is currently working on a book commissioned by Penguin, which will start from 3.4 billion years ago, focusing on the geology of the Deccan plateau. He shared that he has been tracking the story of every dynasty that had anything to do with the area of Bangalore, and he is launching Season 2 of his podcast on April 24th. Ramjee also mentioned that he has been receiving correspondence from history professors and has been invited to give lectures on history.


Animal Welfare and Heritage Vehicles

Ramjee and Priya discussed their shared passion for animal welfare and heritage issues. Ramjee praised Priya's work in fostering a change in people's attitudes towards pets and her role in the welfare of animals. He also mentioned his own efforts to improve his knowledge of Sanskrit and Prakrit. Priya expressed her gratitude for Ramjee's recognition and shared her plans to expand their initiatives to other cities. They also discussed the importance of enabling and aggregating efforts in their work.


Instagram Growth and Heritage Promotion

Priya and Ramjee discussed the growth and reach of their Instagram page, "The History of Bangalore," which has gained 50,000 followers organically. They also talked about the podcast's massive subscriber base, spanning Bangaloreans worldwide. Ramjee emphasized the importance of organic growth in promoting history, as it cannot be promoted with spending money. Priya shared her experience with the Heritage Post Office Beau Lieu and curating the Postal Trail, highlighting the pride and interest it has generated. They also discussed the potential for government offices to open up and the creation of guides for heritage sites. Ramjee expressed his interest in working with the Heritage Beku and Priya suggested focusing on low-hanging fruit like government offices. They also touched on the idea of having ambassadors for heritage and the potential for a history book on Bangalore.


Bangalore's History and Misconceptions

Priya and Ramjee discussed the history of Bangalore and the various ways it is being presented to the public. Ramjee explained that he started researching the history of Bangalore after realizing that many myths and misconceptions about the city's past were being perpetuated. He decided to write about Bangalore himself, and has been researching the city's history for over a year. He has created a podcast with 52 episodes that tracks the history of Bangalore from the 4th century to the start of the Vijay Nagara kingdom. He also mentioned that he has created a promotional page for the podcast on Instagram, which includes quick nuggets of information about the city's history.


Ramjee's Passion for History Research

Priya and Ramjee discussed Ramjee's passion for history and his extensive research on the subject. Ramjee explained that he was motivated by the absence of history in his education and the desire to uncover roots and connections. He shared his daily routine of studying history from morning to night and his upcoming book on the history of Bangalore. Ramjee also mentioned his use of AI-based scholarship tools to aid his research. The conversation ended with Ramjee highlighting the public's interest in history that is relatable to their everyday experiences.


Heritage and Water Management in Bangalore

Ramjee discusses the importance of heritage, particularly focusing on Bangalore's historical water management systems. He explains that Bangalore's existence as a metropolis is due to ancient rainwater harvesting techniques dating back to the 8th century, with man-made tanks and natural depressions still visible today. Priya adds that current small initiatives, like rainwater harvesting pits in Cubbon Park, are continuing this tradition. They both emphasize the importance of preserving and learning from historical practices to address current environmental challenges. Ramjee then shares a story about his involvement in exposing and stopping the illegal dumping of construction debris in Cubbon Park's ponds in the 1990s, which helped protect the park. Priya concludes by highlighting the park's beauty during the COVID-19 lockdown, when reduced human activity allowed nature to flourish.


Bangalore's Heritage and Conservation Efforts

The discussion covers several topics related to heritage and conservation efforts in Bangalore. Priya and Ramjee talk about past campaigns to make Cubbon Park traffic-free, which ultimately did not succeed but led to some positive changes. They discuss the importance of greenery to Bangalore's identity and how residents are quick to protect trees. Priya mentions her work with dog squads and efforts to help street animals, which Ramjee praises as an example of grassroots engagement. They also discuss initiatives like a proposed "tree ambulance" and campaigns like Stranglehold to ban dangerous kite string. The conversation highlights the role of citizen activism and collaboration with authorities in preserving Bangalore's heritage and environment.


Unraveling Deccan's Rich Historical Tapestry

Ramjee discusses his fascination with researching the history of the Deccan region, particularly the multifaceted nature of ancient kings and the robust education system for royalty. He highlights the importance of trade routes that continued uninterrupted even during wars. Ramjee explains his approach to piecing together history from various sources like inscriptions, architecture, legends, and oral histories. He emphasizes the need to make historical information more accessible and relatable to the public. Ramjee also mentions his upcoming podcast season and his efforts to understand linguistic nuances in historical inscriptions to gain deeper insights.


Collaborating on Heritage Initiatives in Bangalore

Ramjee and Priya discuss collaborating on heritage initiatives in Bangalore. Priya invites Ramjee to partner with Heritage Beku, a diverse group working on heritage projects. They agree to have their teams brainstorm ideas together. Priya mentions plans to revive the Cubbon Park bandstand with performances and historical conversations. Ramjee expresses admiration for Bangalore's activists and volunteers. The conversation concludes with Ramjee sharing his recent book 'No Reason at All' about his experiences in Delhi involving a controversy with Rajiv Gandhi.



Next steps

Shrinking City, Shrinking Collective Soul…

Ruminatiing on World Heritage Day.

This Article written in 2019, but remains valid still ..


In the last month, two buildings disappeared in thunderous silence -The East West School In Basvangudi and the heritage bungalow  inside Old Woodlands Hotel , where I hear the preamble to the Indian constitution was partially  written . Pictures of the building skeleton, the demolishers  stacking up the old doors and windows for sale, catch at your gut. But what happens when public heritage collectively owned by the citizens faces the axe?

The bungalow next to Woodlands - Clovelly..
The bungalow next to Woodlands - Clovelly..

The Court has decided  the old EC building in beloved Cubbon Park must be demolished to make way for a 7 storey High Court Annexe. Last year iconic Janatha Bazar was to be razed for a multistorey Complex. And before that Krumbiegel Hall at Lalbagh was bulldozed. Inconvenient lakes  & parks have quietly disappeared. For what? We don’t hear about the smaller ones at all. For example, part of a 120 year Queen Vet Hospital has faced the axe.

Bengaluru isn't the old city many of us remember from the past.


The Garden City was the envy of other cities with their greys when we had our greens. We did not have even fans in our houses and hostels in the 60's and 70's. Slowly but surely 'development'  caught up with us. The parks, lakes, trees, buildings went the way of the dinosaurs. Hit by the progress meteor, the city went into inevitable urban decline. Every monsoon brings more misery with potholes, flooding, rotting garbage, chaotic traffic. Cherished old memories came crashing town and many more buildings were replaced by faceless structures of steel, glass and concrete. You can decide if the cost of progress has been worthwhile. 


All of us drive fancier cars, live in swankier houses, eat in tonier restaurants, watch more slick content on tv, laptops and phones but are we really better off than we were? When we could walk many a mile, sit under a shady park bench, drink a filter coffee at Ranganatha Cafe or an omelette at the India Coffee House, watch a film in Plaza or Rex Theatre ? 


Most great cities have also grown but have found a way to preserve their shared past memories. London, Paris, Prague, Vienna and many others are examples of that. There the past coexists with the progress and modernity that is inevitable. Urban decay as a cost of progress is a huge price to pay for Bengaluru. The vision and planning needed to manage both progress and heritage is sadly lacking in governance and voices calling for this are seen as elitist at best. So the decay will continue unabated and soon breathing will be difficult- literally as well. Bengaluru will be another grey, polluted urban chawl and then the cities consumers will leave for another pasture and the citizens will be left with the debris. Strangers in their own city, surrounded by garbage, potholed roads, flooded roads and basements - and no undo button. 


In our Heritage Beku Whatsapp  group, actor and Bangalorean Arundhati Nag shared a nostalgic picture of herself with her grand daughter Anandi at Cubbon Park, ruefully wondering what would be left for  the little girl to show her children & grandchildren.  It brought heritage up close and personal . 



What Bengaluru needs post haste is a 'past forward' policy to quote an architect friend, a public-private funded heritage fund to conserve and rebuild it's remaining heritage which includes its buildings, parks, trees, shared spaces and to create more of the same. Progress can't be halted but it has to be managed and there is just so many people and buildings and businesses that the city can support effectively. The answer is to create alternate venues for investment and growth as the entire state and country needs to grow, not just one hub which is creaking at its seams. Even the consumers are complaining about the lack of public services, so no one is happy with the status quo. 


Whether Bengaluru's governance will do what's needed is not so clear to me given past experience. However the need for it is not just palpable but downright overdue. 


A heritage law and a heritage authority is overdue . 


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