Wider roads and fewer trees in Bangalore

Wider roads and fewer trees in Bangalore
What is the connection between road widening and the tree cover? An assessment of the Bangalore scene.
— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Sad sight: Bangalore is paying a heavy price for development.
Too often the scene of full grown healthy trees being chopped to make way for wider roads has been greeting Bangaloreans over the last two years, ever since the proposal to widen arterial roads took shape. Though the widening process on some of the arterial roads is not questioned, given the traffic congestion, many are unable to digest this happening in too many places.

In the recently announced Bruhat Bengaluru Mahnagara Palike (BBMP) budget, about 90 roads over a stretch of 144 km are to be widened. The process has already been started on about 10 stretches including Bellary Road, Sankey Road, Nrupathunga Road, Palace Road, Jayamahal Road, Hosur Road, and Seshadri Road.

According to S. Shekhar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, about 1,000 trees were felled over the last one year out of which 80 were transplanted. "About 1.35 lakh saplings have been planted during this period with a survival rate of 80-85 per cent," he adds. He is, however, quick to add that these were not necessarily planted in the same place where the trees were felled but in various parts of the city.

As for the number of trees that will face the axe in the proposed road widening work, he says it is too early to make an estimation. However, he points to the two lakh saplings proposed to be planted in the coming year, and says the green cover in the city will be safeguarded. "Bellary Road alone will see about 800 saplings planted and similar tree cover will be seen in others like NH 7."
Planning is the key

While the last five years have seen the maximum increase in volume of traffic, does the current road widening process take into account such future exponential increases in traffic? Or is it a case of widening partly now without proper planning and traffic solutions, entailing similar widening in future.

Says K.S. Krishna Reddy, BBMP Chief Engineer (Roads), "The current roads that are to be widened are structured to take in increases in volume of traffic up to 2020. However, the success depends on how well the other interconnected activities are integrated."

Thus, a widened arterial road would be free of congestion only when it is connected successfully to feeder roads, he adds. The level of residential and commercial development in and around that area would have to be taken into consideration to estimate the future volume of traffic, he says.

Concurs Seemanth Kumar Singh, DCP Traffic (East), "Cutting trees and widening roads is not the answer to our traffic problems though in a few places it is inevitable. We need a more rounded approach where traffic is managed and congestion reduced."

Thus, he points to the soon-to-be-implemen ted proposals such as banning traffic on certain roads, staggering of office and school timings, encouraging car pooling and increasing volume and frequency of buses.
Traffic factor

"It is also vital to assess the increase in traffic volume before and after construction of commercial complexes before approving the same. Over the last six months, BBMP is working closely with us, seeking our approval for new complexes based on increase in traffic volume and the capacity of the road to handle it."

He contends that developing new townships around the city will decongest our roads though this calls for "a lot of planning and concerted action."

While the widening of roads is expected to provide some respite to the traffic congestion, there is a school of thought which views this as a fruitless exercise. Says Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group, "Widening of roads will not solve our traffic problems. What we need is a holistic approach taking into consideration the traditional practices of the city combined with better traffic management."

Thus, according to him, certain roads such as Commercial Street and parts of City Market should be restricted to pedestrians, with vehicular traffic banned. Improving public transport and sensitising public to resort to car pooling and sharing autos would successfully bring down the volume of traffic. "Widening roads would only give temporary relief with the main casualty being the trees lining these roads."

While trees have been cut in the roads earmarked for widening, "these roads are yet to see the shifting of utilities as well as widening," Saldanha says. Even on those few roads that need widening, trees should be the last casualty, he insists. "Public participation is vital here so as to incorporate its collective opinion."

In the coming years, when traffic volume increases, would the freshly planted trees on the newly widened roads be axed again, he asks.

As to the systematic felling of trees after every heavy downpour, he attributes it to the wrong choice of species that are not strong and deep rooted and prone to diseases.

Concurs Negin Hann, former DCF, "In many places the trees can be retained as medians. As for infected trees, most can be treated and need not face the axe." The success rate for saplings planted is low because of lack of maintenance. He recommends transplanting even though the cost could be high and the success rate not too high. "Making transplanting of healthy trees mandatory could act as a deterrent in cutting them," he says.

Adds Saldanha, "The loss of green cover is not only because of the chopping of trees but the disappearance of old property, nurseries and orchards which housed plenty of old trees."