Seshadri Road losing its shady trees

Seshadri Road losing its shade trees.
The Hindu

BANGALORE, DEC. 31. If you loved passing through Seshadri Road - an avenue of trees that form a canopy protecting you from the sun - you have a last chance to pass through it.

But be prepared to bear the unpleasant sight of a few trees, some over 100 years old, having lost their branches and their limbless trunks standing tall mourning their past glory.

The trees are being felled for the construction of the Rs. 27.6- crore flyover coming on the road through Anand Rao Circle. People were shocked at the sight of the trees being cut. K. Lokesh, a salesman with a private firm, who uses the road often, stopped his motorcycle near the fire service station on Wednesday for a few minutes, apparently to grieve over the "irreparable loss of trees."

He criticised the city planners for felling the trees. "You have Government lands all along the road. The planners could have acquired these lands for widening the road instead of building a flyover by cutting trees," he said.

Ashwath, a fireman at the fire service station, said: "I am really pained at the felling of these beautiful trees." As he has to guard the fire station, he stands near its gate for six to eight hours. He. had the luxury ofstanding under the shade till today. . felled for the flyover project. "Now, I will have to stand in the hot sun," he added.

Several people, led by environmentalist Suresh Heblikar, and the Bangalore Turf Club have opposed the felling of the trees. Sources in the BDA said that in all 96 trees would be felled for the flyover project. But they would be cut in phases.

According to the BDA's plan, the main bridge from the Khoday's Circle to Ananda Rao Circle, will be 18.5 metres wide. It is designed for five-lane traffic. Beyond this point, it will carry traffic in four lanes. The loop towards the Janata Dal office will cary two-lane traffic.

The bridge will be placed on 13 pillars and the loop on two. The construction of the flyover has been awarded to the Delhi-based Simplex Concrete Piles (india) Ltd.