'Review list of trees to be cut for Metro project'

'Review list of trees to be cut for Metro project'
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: In a bid to minimise the tree cover loss due to the Metro Rail project, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has asked Bangalore Metro Rail Coporation Limited (BMRCL) review the list of trees to be cut to make way for the project.

The BMP has sent back the list to BMRCL and asked it to take a re-look at it after conducting re-inspection. Officers in the civic body feel that by revising the list they can save a minimum of 30 per cent of trees that are now in the list.

BMRCL has submitted a list of 1,287 trees. The work on first phase of 7 kms metro project from Cubbon Road and Byappanhalli is expected to start by this month end.

Recently, BMRC has submitted the list of trees in each area where the project is coming up. BMP Tree Officer Uddupudi D Krishna told this website’s newspaper that in a bid to minimise the tree cover loss, they have asked the BMRC to intervene and make a fresh list.

‘‘A letter has been dispatched to the BMRC,’’ he said. As many as 132 trees will be axed in K R Road for the project, followed by 99 trees in Kuvempu road and 79 trees on CMH Road.

However, V Madhu, managing director of BMRC, clarified that they were dedicated to plant new saplings and a re-inspection will be carried out. ‘‘We are spending Rs 62.6 lakh for greening the city area.

We have already ordered 15,000 plant species among which 10,000 trees will be taken from the forest department and the rest will come from Bangalore Development Authority,’’ he said.