Credit: DH Photo
A citizen group has started a campaign to save trees whose roots are choked by concrete.
The Trap Free Tree Campaign by Bengaluru Hudugaru was launched three weeks ago after one of its members had a sudden realisation.
“A conversation with my son drew my attention to the fact that thousands of trees in Bengaluru are not getting the nutrition they require because their base is covered in concrete or tar,” says civic activist, Vinod Kartavya, the founder of the group.
After thorough research and speaking to a geologist, the group learnt that with minimal-to- zero percolation of water, rainwater fails to reach the roots of the trees. “This shortens their lifespan,” Kartavya explains. The team also looked at the legal aspect of their action plan. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated the Tree Plantation Labour Act of 1951. It states that there can be no concrete or tar within a one-metre radius of a tree. “This reduces soil erosion and helps maintain the health of the roots,” he adds.
The Karnataka Forest Department too issued an order on June 18, 2025 based on the NGT’s order, “but it is not being followed,” Kartavya shares.
The 15-20 member group comprises teachers, businessmen and government employees. Through the campaign, the group has been ‘deconcretising’ two trees per week. They meet at 7 am on Sundays, armed with spades, shovels, picks and pry bars, and wrap up at around 9.30 am. “It takes 1 to 1.5 hours to remove the concrete from the base of each tree. We are not specialised in this. We stop digging as soon as we hit mud,” he tells Metrolife.
The tree is chosen after a survey, conducted two to three days before the day of the work. They pick trees that are on the main road, and not in residential areas or on the footpath. “Sometimes home owners do it themselves to maximise parking space. One tree we worked on recently was being used as a seating area for a juice shop. The owner had covered the base in concrete and built a seating area around it,” he recalls.
Over the past three Sundays, the group has ‘freed’ trees from R V Road-Minerva Circle, Malleswaram and Basaveshwaranagar. This week, they will be in action at Yeshwantpura, Kumaraswamy Layout or Rajajinagar. Since they started posting reels of their work on Instagram, Kartavya has been receiving at least 10 requests per day of trees in similar condition.
The group plans to submit a letter to the GBA to take this up as a serious issue. “Until then, we will continue our work,” Kartavya states.
To get in touch, look up @bengaluru_hudugaru on Instagram.