BBMP books BMRCL contractor for felling trees along R V Road

BBMP books BMRCL contractor for felling trees along R V Road
Bangalore, DH News Service:
In response to complaints filed by environmentalists in the City against demolition of a wall along the Lalbagh West Gate and felling of trees, the BBMP has booked a case against a tree felling and demolition company on Tuesday.

The contractor for Karnataka Land Army Corporation, working for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), has been charged with violation of the Tree Preservation Act.

Conveying the same, the Tree officer in-charge of Bangalore South, Venkateshappa told Deccan Herald that there was no order passed by him for felling the trees along the road. “We have booked a case against the contractor under the Tree Preservation Act,” said Venkateshappa.

Under the Tree Preservation Act, the tree felling contractor will be punishable upto six months and/or a fine of Rs 5,000. The offense is also bailable. The BMRCL were unable to confirm the development.


According to complaints, the tree felling company had felled trees along the R V Road and broken nearly 120 meters of wall along the Lalbagh West Gate.

The BMRCL officials, however, on Monday had said that they had permission to fell nearly 300 trees along the R V Road.

“We are yet to receive the orders for only 19 or 20 trees in the area. The total number of trees we have requested to cut are 323. And another 42 for pruning along the road,” the BMRCL said. Officials say that the felling of trees are only in those areas where the Metro stations are being built by them.

Metro officials, in response to the complaints filed by Green Groups, said for every three trees they fell, they were planting 10 more on various stretches. “All the agencies are working towards maintaining the saplings,” said the official. The BMRCL has said, in tandem with other city-based agencies they have planted nearly 15,000 saplings in Bangalore.

Another complaint

In a corresponding move to put pressure on officials, an independent candidate contesting from Bangalore South, Santosh Min has filed a complaint with the EC against the demolition of the Lalbagh wall along the West Gate.

According to Min, the work commissioned along the R V Road and the demolition of the wall corresponds to violation of the model code of conduct in place for the election. “This is no old work but a new one sanctioned by the Government officials,” said Min.