Hyderabad Citizens Hold Funeral March Against Road Expansion Near KBR National Park

A group of concerned citizens staged a symbolic funeral procession outside the gates of Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park on World Environment Day, protesting the Telangana government's proposed road expansion plans around the ecologically sensitive urban forest.

The demonstrators urged the government to immediately withdraw the proposal, arguing that widening roads around the park would threaten one of Hyderabad's most important green spaces and could lead to the loss of valuable tree cover.

The protest comes against the backdrop of a recent intervention by the Supreme Court , which in May granted interim relief by restraining authorities from removing trees within the park's eco-sensitive zone. A bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan directed that no trees should be felled within the environmentally sensitive belt surrounding the park while the matter remains under consideration.

The court also issued notices on a petition challenging the state's decision to proceed with road development activities that could affect the protected area.

The legal challenge was brought before the Supreme Court by environmental activist Kajal Maheshwari , who questioned the refusal of the Telangana High Court to grant immediate interim protection.

In her petition, Maheshwari described KBR National Park as a vital urban forest notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 , and one of Hyderabad's most significant ecological assets. She argued that the park serves as a crucial "green lung" for the city, helping maintain biodiversity and environmental balance amid rapid urbanisation.

The petition also objected to the reduction of the proposed eco-sensitive zone surrounding the park. According to the petitioner, the original buffer zone of 25 to 35 metres had been substantially altered, with portions reportedly reduced to as little as three metres , allegedly to facilitate infrastructure projects, including road development initiatives.

Environmentalists contend that eco-sensitive zones act as protective buffers for national parks and wildlife habitats. Any significant reduction in their extent, they argue, could weaken safeguards intended to shield protected ecosystems from the pressures of urban growth.

Maheshwari also challenged interim orders issued by the Telangana High Court on March 31, 2026. She had sought urgent intervention, claiming that unchecked developmental activities in the vicinity of the park could cause irreversible environmental damage.

According to the petition, the High Court did not grant immediate relief but instead directed the parties to examine which activities are permissible within the eco-sensitive zone and which could be regulated under existing environmental norms before the matter proceeds further.

With the legal battle continuing, citizens used World Environment Day to draw attention to what they see as a larger conflict between urban infrastructure expansion and environmental conservation. Protesters said the symbolic funeral march was intended to highlight fears that weakening protections around KBR National Park could gradually erode one of Hyderabad's most valuable natural ecosystems.