BBMP uses loopholes to reduce Bengaluru's tree cover even further

With increasing the ever-increasing volume of traffic on the Old Airport Road and 100 Feet Road (Indiranagar) to Hope Farm, there was a growing demand for pedestrian safety zones. 

Although the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had already proposed and is working on a signal-free corridor in these areas, 46 trees were rounded off for an underpass at National Aerospace Limited Junction and Big Bazaar junction by the government. These trees will now be axed.

On Tuesday morning, Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George along with BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad, CV Raman Nagar Assembly MLA C Raghu along with area corporators inspected the junctions and ongoing signal free corridor work.

"Since signal free projects also need underpasses for pedestrian safety, the trees were obstacles at NAL  junction on Old Airport Road and Big Bazaar Junction at Old Madras Road and hence we had to cut these trees. I had asked for the tree transplantation option but the officials said, it is not feasible,"  said KJ George.

There will be six underpasses and one flyover near Hoodi in the signal-free corridor project. The total road length covers 33KMS, and the project is estimated Rs 275 crores. The 4.3 acres of land acquisition at NAL and HAL area delayed the project however the government and BBMP have made the property owners agree to give up land based on exchange formula. And from tomorrow the underpass project will take off.

"The concrete slabs for the underpass are readymade. It only needs to be fixed. The project will be completed within three months once started," said Prahalad, Chief Engineer, Project Division BBMP.

Fearing the agitation and court trouble, the BBMP has carefully planned not to bring the issue before the tree committee.

The files were scrutinised by the Appu Rao, Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP division who said, the development of underpass is taken up by the BBMP Projects division and they had put up a file before him department for considering the request for axing trees in January this year.

The BBMP did not want to take the risk as there was a growing agitation following the government's decision to axing trees at Jayamahal for a road widening project. 

"The BBMP had made a provision where if trees are less than 50 number, BBMP did not have to consult the tree committee. This clause is being misused not only by BBMP but also BDA and other departments. The numbers of trees to be cut are divided below 50 and contract is given so that it did do not have to wait for permission from tree committee," said Vijay Nishanth, Urban Conservationist.

• Bengaluru
• Green cover
• BBMP