‘You can’t cut that tree’

‘You can’t cut that tree’
Author: Savie Karnel Date: 04 Jun 2008

Eco activists challenge BBMP’s road widening projects that involves felling nearly 750 trees in the city, describe the entire exercise as illegal



Environmentalists alleged that BBMP’s mega project to widen 91 roads in the city is illegal. The high court has admitted a petition against the BBMP and summoned department heads.

Members of NGOs such as as Environment Support Group, Hasiru Usiru and CIVIC said since the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) 2015 did not mention widening of roads, the project was illegal.

Anti-people move

“When there is no mention in the CDP, it is implied that there can be no road widening till 2015. Hence the project is illegal. It is a huge project involving 91 roads covering 400 km. The Karnataka Town Planning Act says public consultation is important in these types of mega plans, but no one has consulted the public for most of the roads in the project,” said Leo Saldanha, founder of Environment Support Group.

BBMP had acquired land in Race Course Road and Palace Road, and begun the road-widening project last year. The project involved felling of 750 trees which the BBMP claimed would help decongest traffic.

‘Be smart, BBMP’

“The BBMP has not provided any evidence of decongestion so far. Experience from other densely-populated cities shows just widening roads don’t help. It is essential to design roads intelligently, manage traffic, and encourage use of public transport to address traffic problems. We suggest that bureaucrats in Vidhana Soudha start a car pool. The traffic on the roads will automatically be under control,” said Leo.

The petitioners alleged that in several areas where trees had been felled, work on the roads had not yet begun.

“A tree as a living thing is much more important than telephone lines or electricity poles. In Bangalore, trees are cut first, then public utilities are shifted and finally the work begins. Trees are the only feature which Bangalore is proud of. You take away the trees and there is nothing to Bangalore,” he said.

They even objected to trees being felled for the Bangalore Metro Rail project.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited had promised to plant 10 trees for every tree that was cut.

Trees have been indiscriminately cut on CMH Road and MG Road. “In its environment impact assessment report, there is no mention of where the trees are going to be planted,” added Leo.

Pending projects

Road widening projects to be completed this year

>>Bellary Road
>>Race Course Road
>>Palace Road
>>Seshadri Road

Projects to start this year

>>Kasturba Road
>>Nrupathunga Road
>>Hosur Road
>>Hosur-Laskar Road
>>Jayamahal Road
>>Airport Road
>>Mysore Road
>>Padarayanapura Main Road
>>Lower Agaram Road
>>Sarjapura Road
>>Hennur Road
>>Banaswadi Road
>>Wheeler Road