Bengaluru: A five-member expert committee constituted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) visited Lalbagh Botanical Garden on Tuesday to assess a proposed tunnel road.
The panel carried out a detailed geological and geotechnical appraisal of the geoheritage site, where a six-lane tunnel road is proposed to pass.
It is learnt that the committee looked for boreholes in the Lalbagh premises that private consultants had dug to study geological conditions while preparing the DPR.
During the inspection, the committee examined the detailed project report of the underground road project connecting Central Silk Board and Hebbal.
The road is set to pass beneath Lalbagh. As per the DPR, the government requires about six acres of land on a temporary basis and about one acre permanently.
Bengaluru: LPG prices soar, pumps shut, wait for your auto may get longerThe panel is led by senior GSI official KV Maruthi and includes experts from Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad with specialisations in engineering geology and related fields.
It is tasked with conducting field inspections and assessing the potential impact of tunnelling on the Peninsular Gneissic Complex, a notified geoheritage formation within Lalbagh.
The committee is expected to submit its report within three weeks to the Additional Director General and Head of Department (Southern Region).
The panel was formed after concerns were raised by Bangalore South MP LS Tejasvi Surya, who had written to the GSI in October 2025 seeking a scientific assessment of the project.
Citizen groups are expected to meet the committee members on Wednesday with a representation carrying reports prepared by other government agencies that had raised concerns about the project on technical and environmental grounds, including lack of borehole data.