BENGALURU: Around 3,600 trees in Bengaluru Urban district are likely to face the axe for road widening or other development work.
Documents accessed by TOI show that half the trees marked for removal stand between NICE Road and
Magadi
Road in west Bengaluru and are to be cut for road development work under the
Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project (KSHIP).
Around 1,000 trees will be felled for road widening projects by Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) in Anekal and Yelahanka. The remaining trees are set to be felled for national highway widening and Metro work. Following applications from these civic agencies before Bengaluru Urban forest division seeking permission for felling, the high court- mandated tree expert committee has taken up spot inspections.
As per HC guidelines, any application for removal of trees must be vetted by the committee, which comprises tree scientists and not-forprofit organisation representatives. The committee members will look into the possibilities of suggesting changes in the alignment of these road/Metro projects or exploring other methods like translocation wherever possible to save the trees.
‘Stage set for green massacre’
Environmentalist Vijay Nishanth said road widening and other projects are being executed in the most insensitive way, with least importance being given to ecology. “For civic agencies, chopping trees is the easiest way. After a hue and cry by greens, agencies like BMRCL have, of late, taken up translocation of trees. However, on the outskirts, the stage is all set for a green massacre. Many canopies are going to vanish soon,” he added.
Diwakar K, an environment enthusiast, said many civic agencies don’t bother to take up afforestation in lieu of tree loss caused by their projects. “Some agencies take up afforestation several kilometres away from the actual spot where trees were cut. The tree committee must ensure these agencies do compulsory afforestation along the alignment of their respective projects,” he added.
A senior official from NHAI, which is executing the Kanakapura Road widening work, said they always try to minimise the damage to tree cover.
“On the other hand, road work is also important for any state. The widening of Kanakapura Road is part of development of NH 209 connecting Bengaluru and Dindigul in
Tamil Nadu via Kanakapura, Malavalli and Chamarajanagar,” he added.
Vijay said the committee should review afforestation exercises done by various civic agencies in the past.
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