The Cantonment Railway Colony was declared Bengaluru’s second Biodiversity Heritage Site in September 2025—a rare victory for citizens who had protested against large-scale tree felling for a proposed commercial development. Over 15,000 citizens stood tall against the tree felling, and following months of protests, the government declared the site a Biodiversity Heritage Site. However, just three months later, on December 6, the state government withdrew the notification. The reversal has once again put nearly 370 heritage trees in the colony at risk.
A threat for citizen participation
The colony houses around 370 mature and heritage trees belonging to around 50 different species. Some are over several decades old. According to a Times of India report, the tag was revoked as the state government skipped prior consultation with the land owning Union Government agency, Indian Railways.
Environmentalists warn that the removal of protection could lead to irreversible ecological loss in a dense urban area. In an interview with Citizen Matters, Divya Narayanan, Executive Director at Jhatkaa.org, a digital campaigning organisation working to empower citizens, said, “This revocation has severely impacted people’s trust in the government.” She adds that for citizens who participated in consultations and filed objections, this sends out a troubling message that such environmental decisions are reversible.
Citizen groups also argue that the rollback undermines public participation and environmental governance. The state government has stalled any clearance activity on the campus. Divya says this is only a temporary fix. Governing bodies need a fundamental shift in mindset—one that views development through an ecological lens and recognises trees as essential urban infrastructure, not expendable assets.
Catch the full interview below, where we also explore how citizen participation plays a major role in such cases.