The BBMP office.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The BBMP has proposed the felling of 157 trees to complete the remaining work on the 2.5-km flyover connecting Ejipura and Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala.
In a public notice dated January 21, the civic body invited objections, if any, to the proposed tree-cutting by the end of this month.
The notice, issued by the BBMP’s Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), follows a request from the engineering division, which is under pressure to finish the long-delayed project. The flyover’s deadline has already been extended to December 2025.
While the flyover is expected to provide a signal-free commute across seven junctions, it comes at the expense of the area’s greenery. The trees identified for felling, many over 10 metres tall with girths reaching up to 396 inches, currently provide much-needed shade to road users, vendors, eateries, and other establishments along the stretch.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by researchers from the Azim Premji University raised concerns over the piecemeal destruction of Bengaluru’s green cover for individual infrastructure projects. The report highlighted how such practices have contributed to the city’s declining greenery over decades.
"Infrastructure, be it roads or flyovers, is important for a city's development. But we are in the era of climate change. The devastating impact of extreme and unpredictable weather events is a reality faced by the residents of Bengaluru, be it floods or water scarcity, exacerbated by air pollution. We can no longer persist on the path of development at all costs," the report released in 2023 had noted.