Residents protest Metro tree felling

Residents protest Metro tree felling
BY SHILPA P.
BENGALURU







Article Rank










[Click To Enlarge]


I Metro will trim or fell around 30 per cent of trees on either side of RV Road in Jayanagar I BMRCL has planted over 15,000 saplings as a substi- tute for the 1,500 trees that are to be cut for the project
RV Road in Jayanagar will soon lose the lush green canopy of trees and well maintained parks on either side of the thoroughfare. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd will have to cut down or trim around 30 per cent of the trees to make way for Namma Metro that will run on an elevated line in the middle of the road.

Two terminals will also be built on the road, as part of the 14.9-km north-south Metro corridor which will begin at Yeshwanthpur and end at RV Road.

The terminals on RV Road will be set up at South End Circle between the 28th Cross and 30th Cross and between the 38th Cross and 40th Cross in Jayanagar 8th Block.

Residents of the area say the trees are an integral part of the area and are up in arms against the move to cut them down. Senior citizens in Jayanagar say the parks have for long made the locality a pleasant one to live in and have raised objections against the move to fell the trees.

BMRCL MD N. Sivasailam, who discussed the issue with the residents, says, “The trees on either side will be pruned for the Metro to be able to run on this stretch. Trees will be cut only to make way for the terminals that will each be 135 metres in length. We will clear only five metres of the park.” The residents only hope that BMRCL will make arrangements to restore the greenery that is lost.

Federation of Jayanagar Residents’ Association president K.V.Bhaskar Murthy says, “Pruning or cutting trees is inevitable if we are to make way a new public transit system. The Metro will benefit many people. But we hope that the corporation will take a cue from the Delhi Metro and restore the greenery in a few years.” Mr Murthy notes that the Delhi Metro officials took care to plant trees and create gardens. “Namma Metro should also develop green areas and be eco-friendly,” he says.

An official from the Metro team says BMRCL has planted over 15,000 saplings in various parts of the city as a substitute for the 1,500 trees that are to be cut for the project.

“Even if parks are affected during the project, they will all be restored once the work is completed,” he says.