Minsk Square loses lush green cover

Minsk Square loses lush green cover

Staff Reporter
Trees on landmark felled for Namma Metro
— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Denuded: Branches are all that are left of the trees at the Minsk Square in Bangalore on Saturday.
BANGALORE: Yet another landmark in the city — Minsk Square — gave way for the ongoing Namma Metro work. A few trees inside the square were felled on Saturday by the contractor assigned to clear the site for the metro station.

The Ajeet aircraft, installed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) was removed by it a few months back. The aircraft had been a part and parcel of the square in which HAL had been maintaining a small park.

The cricket stadium underground metro station will be built right under Minsk Square and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., (BMRCL) claims the station will serve employees of several government and private offices located nearby.

Once the tender for construction of underground stations and tunnelling is awarded, the entire Minsk Square will be out of bounds for regular traffic, except a single lane on Queen’s Road, from Balekundri Circle towards Queen’s Junction. Cubbon Road will be closed between Minsk Square and BRV Junction.

BMRCL’s plea for construction of alternative roads inside Cubbon Park to divert traffic on Queen’s Road is yet to get the Karnataka High Court’s nod. If the proposal, which is inevitable in view of closure of Minsk Square, is accepted, nearly 22 trees inside the park will have to be felled. The proposed alternative road will join Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi, in front of old KGID building, after passing between Chief Electoral Officer’s office and old KGID building.

After completion of the underground station work, BMRCL promises to bring Minsk Square back to its original glory. However, HAL is not sure whether it will place the Ajeet aircraft back on the spot once the square is restored.