The Karnataka High Court has barred the State government from starting any ground-level work to develop the Roerich and Devika Rani Roerich Estate in Bengaluru as an eco-tourism and cultural center. The project was planned under the Centre’s special scheme for iconic tourist spots. The order came on January 13 from a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha. They acted on a Public Interest Litigation filed by the R.R. Nagar I Care Trust, Bengaluru. The Deputy Solicitor-General of India, Shanthi Bhushan H., told the court that the Union Ministry of Tourism has not yet received any official proposal from Karnataka to include the project under the Central scheme. Without this, the project cannot move forward. The petitioner said the project violates the Roerich and Devika Rani Roerich Estate (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996. They argued that the estate is classified as a ‘deemed forest’—a status confirmed by the State government’s own documents submitted to the Supreme Court. Despite this, the estate remains under the Revenue Department's control. The petitioner noted that the Forest Department's request to take over the estate has been ignored. They also mentioned that the State Biodiversity Board recommended declaring the estate a ‘Biodiversity Heritage Site’ between 2021 and 2023. Further environmental concerns include the estate’s location in an elephant corridor linked to Bannerghatta National Park. The petitioner warned that developing the tourism hub could threaten wildlife and damage the forest area's flora and fauna. The proposed project expects 25,000 visitors daily, raising fears of ecological destruction. The court’s interim order stops any development work until the legal and environmental issues are resolved.