Green touch to ring road

Green touch to ring road

On Saturday, a group of volunteers planted saplings on a 1.5-km stretch on the JP Nagar Ring Road; they plan to green all ring roads in the city

By M K Ashoka
Posted On Sunday, November 02, 2008
Freakin' Awesome! Freakin' Awesome! Freakin' Awesome! Freakin' Awesome! Freakin' Awesome!

Even as the trees are making way for the road-widening projects in Bangalore and precious lung-space is fast isappearing from the city’s firmament, some tree lovers have laid out a green carpet on a 1.5-km stretch of road.

This green brigade, a group of 25 volunteers which calls itself ‘Trees 4 Free’, on Saturday planted saplings on the median on the JP Nagar Ring Road starting from the Bannerghatta Ring Road Junction. And they will not just stop at that. They have resolved to water these plants regularly.

These volunteers, helped by passersby and residents living on either side of the road, planted 300 trees on the road median, a task that began at 10 am and went on till 4.30 pm.

“In two years, these aplings will provide shade to those walking on the pavements on either side of the road.

We have chosen saplings whose branches will spread out without hampering the traffic flow,” said Janet Yegneswaran, the key person behind this initiative.

A group of young professionals who reside in BTM Layout have came forward to bear the watering expenses for two years. In the initial stages, watering will be done once a week and subsequently, once in 15 days.

As the saplings have been planted 2.5 feet deep, they are expected to grow without any problem.

The other partners in this noble initiative are: CDC, a software firm located in UB City, Inner Wheel, Rotary Club of Bangalore and the BBMP. While the civic body provided the saplings, CDC provided the fencing for these saplings.

Extra hands
When the volunteers began their work in the morning, a group of five people from Davanagere, who were on their way to attend a wedding, stopped their car and gave them a helping hand.

Ravindra Mandayam, an employee of Logica, who was involved in the task of laying out the ‘green route’, was helped by his wife Roopa and his two children - Nandan and Pranav. “It is a lesson for children. In future too, they can volunteer in such activities,” said Roopa.

“As today was Kannada Rajyotsava and a holiday, I couldn’t have done anything better than this. Once the trees come up, the road will have an ornamental look,” said David, a volunteer.

Former minister P G R Sindhia, whose house is located on the same road, joined hands with the volunteers. After planting a tree sapling, he said if advance information was available on this initiative, residents from other areas too could have been roped in.

Those commuting on the Ring Road can start feeling the ‘soothing effect’ of Mahogany, Sampige, Neem and Hoovarasi trees soon.

The ‘Trees 4 Free’ volunteers have a dream: They want to green all ring roads in the city. Those interested in joining the initiative may call 98454 49703.