"Traffic Experts" want trees chopped down

Trees posing a danger to Garden City residents?
The Hindu

Trees must be chopped, roads widened: traffic management experts

# EXPERTS' VIEWS Trees on widened roads pose a danger to motorists
# Roots of trees on pavements grow on roads
# Pruning trees makes them spread out further
# Trees with low branches affect road/pavement illumination



CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE: Trees on M.G. Road in Bangalore — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Falling trees and tree branches have claimed many lives in Bangalore. In the latest incident, 14-year-old Manjunath, who was riding pillion on a two-wheeler, was killed when a tree branch fell on him in Vidyaranyapura on Sunday night.

Last year, a tree on Lavelle Road fell in heavy rain, killing a pedestrian and damaging a car. In December 2001, five children died and many persons were injured when a private bus hit a tree branch on Nagarbhavi Road.

Traffic management experts say that in many areas, widening roads is the only way to ease congestion.

Trees on some of these roads have to be felled, they say and add that this is the only option for a city which has more than 25 lakh vehicles.

Panel

Experts recommend that a panel of officials from the Forest and Horticulture departments, traffic police and engineering experts be set up to manage the planting and cutting of trees, from the point of view of traffic management.

In view of concerns expressed by environmental activists, trees on roads which are widened are left uncut. The trees pose a danger to motorists and pedestrians.

On many roads which have been widened, such as Bull Temple Road, Jayamahal Road, M.G. Road and Airport Road, trees have not been felled, and because of this, portions of these roads cannot be used.

If the trees are felled, additional lanes can be formed on the roads, M.N. Sreehari, traffic engineering expert, says. In many areas, trees on pavements are not chopped, and their roots grow on to the road.

Uneven

On Indiranagar Double Road, trees have been planted on the median and their roots have grown on to the road. "Accidents are caused when drivers swerve their vehicles to avoid uneven portions of the road," Prof. Sreehari says.

Trees with low branches hinder traffic in many places. The foliage affects the illumination of roads and pavements. "Personnel from BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company) cut branches, which results in the trees spreading out further," Prof. Sreehari says. On these roads, drivers of trucks and buses keep to the right, and movement of other vehicles is affected.

Traffic experts say that only species of trees with branches that do not spread should be planted along roads. According to them, "May Flower" is unsuitable for growing along roads.

Old trees with weak trunks get uprooted during rainstorms, and such trees have caused extensive damage in the city this year.