BMRCL clarifies on Lal Bagh station

BMRCL clarifies on Lal Bagh station
DH News Service,Bangalore:
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has said that it will not damage the sanctity of any heritage site or historical park such as the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens while implementing the Namma Metro project.

The statement comes in the wake of protests and green activists fuming over the decision of the BMRCL to construct the ‘Namma Metro’ station at R V Road, by acquiring portion of the land at Lal Bagh and felling trees. Dr M Ramachandran, chairman of BMRCL and secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development speaking to Deccan Herald from New Delhi said that “Green cover will be maintained after the project is completed. People should understand that development of infrastructure comes at a price. We have already announced that the trees cut will be replaced by planting of saplings. The route alignment of the metro was done after a detailed study and approved by the Central and State governments. The cost of constructing an underground station is an expensive proposition. A metro with a zig-zag alignment is not possible. All decisions were approved well in advance,” he said.
Goverdhan Rao of the Bangalore Environment Trust and a green activist himself said the City is now paying a price for years of bad planning and administration.
“It is lack of vision. The area where the station is proposed to be constructed houses eucalyptus trees. These trees can be considered for tree-transplantation. The City needs both greenery and the metro,” Rao observed.
Ordinance passed last year
The ordinance to acquire park land adjoining R V Road for Namma Metro project was issued by the Secretary to the Department of Parliamentary Affairs on November 22, 2008 for acquiring land in Lalbagh, under the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation and Amendment) Act of 2008.
It permits acquisition of 1135.18 square meters of Lalbagh Botanical Gardens along the compound wall of West Gate towards the western side of the park on R V Road in Basavanagudi for the construction of an elevated station.