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Will citizens' 'Chipko' movement save trees on Jayamahal Road ?

  • Residents of Jaymahal led by Citizens For Bengaluru hold 'Chipko' movement
  • BBMP plans to translocate at least 112 trees to make way for the six-lane road
  • The project is aimed at decongesting the Bellary stretch
Chipko movement citizens for bengaluru Jayamahal Road widening

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)'s plan to widen the Jayamahal Road was severely condemned by a group of people who held 'Chipko' movement in the city on Monday.

The BBMP's road widening project to decongest the traffic on Bellary Road has been widely criticised as huge green cover will be sacrificed. The BBMP had - earlier - planned to cut 112 trees on the stretch to go ahead with the project. However, after public outcry and suggestions of translocation, the BBMP has now agreed to translocate the trees. But not all of them. Only 41 trees will be translocated and the remaining 71 trees will be felled to make way for the road widening project.

It is learnt that on an experimental basis, the BBMP has prepared groundwork to translocate five trees. Besides, with the help of Pravas Environment, Surat the Palike plans to translocate the remaining trees. Pravas Environment claims to have a record of translocating 5,000 trees and their survival rate has been 87 per cent. Considering their success rate, the BBMP has entrusted them with the task of shifting the trees on Jayamahal road.

The Palike wants to widen the from Mehkri Circle to Cantonment Railway station to bring down the traffic bottlenecks on the stretch. In fact, it was not the first time that the citizens have staged protest against road widening. On an earlier occasion too, around 13,000 people had formed a human chain to protest against the BBMP's decision to widen the road. But in vain. But the BBMP should evolve alternative ways to address the traffic density than translocating the trees, feels the protesters.

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