BMRCL to plant 15,000 trees across Bengaluru to offset metro construction impact in city

BMRCL announces a tree planting initiative to counterbalance tree loss due to metro construction in Bangalore, aiming to plant 15,000 trees over three years, costing 6.9 crores. The effort follows public concern over environmental impact, with the High Court mandating ten saplings to be planted for every tree felled.

Being concerned about cutting of thousands of trees during metro construction activities, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has announced a comprehensive tree planting initiative. The project aims to mitigate the environmental impact of metro development by planting 15,000 trees across various locations in Bangalore.

BMRCL has already taken significant steps towards this goal, having planted over 60,000 trees in the past. The upcoming project, estimated to cost 6.9 crores, will span three years and involve the planting of 5,000 saplings in three different sections.

To ensure efficient execution, the metro authority has invited tenders for the project, with a budget allocation of 2.03 crores for each department involved. The planting will be carried out in phases, with priority given to areas affected by recent metro construction.

In the first phase, focus will be on Dabus Town Phase 4 Industrial Area, Bangalore Rural District, and surrounding government spaces. This will be followed by planting in Doddaballapur during the second stage, and in designated park and buffer zones in Phase III of the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) areas during the third phase.

The initiative comes in the wake of public concern over the environmental impact of metro projects, with reports indicating that 3,626 trees were cut between 2021 and 2023. However, efforts have been made to mitigate this impact, with 856 trees relocated to the outskirts during the same period.

The High Court imposed a condition on BMRCL in 2022, mandating the planting of ten saplings for every tree felled, instead of the previous requirement of one. This decision underscores the importance of environmental conservation in urban development projects.