Environmentalists oppose proposal to clear 48 trees to build flyover at Devalapura junction on Mysuru ring road
Credit: DH Photo
Mysuru: Raising slogans like 'Parisaradinda naavu, parisarakkaagi naavu' (We live due to environment, and we stand for it)' about 50 environmentalists of Parisarakkaagi Naavu and Parisara Balaga organisations opposed a proposal to clear 48 Neem trees on the median on NH-275 -Mysuru ring road - to build a flyover at Devalapura junction. They raised concerns in the public hearing held by officials of NH PWD Mysuru division and Forest department near the junction on Tuesday morning.
Even as officials defended that the flyover project is taken up in this segment of Ring road, since it is declared as black spot, the activists urged officials of PWD-National Highway, Mysuru division and Forest department to explore better sustainable alternatives for road safety, to prevent the accident.
"Ring road comes under Chamundi hill buffer zone. With Mysore city corporation being upgraded to Bruhat Mysuru Mahanagara Paalike outer ring road is also coming. So these flyovers are not required on the ring road, they should avoid them and save trees and tax payers' money," Greens felt.
Parashuramegowda said "Development at the cost of the environment is not the solution for road safety. At a time when we are facing the challenges of climate change and global warming, we should explore sustainable alternatives, to save trees and protect the environment and gift it to our future generations."
Kusuma Aayarahalli, Krishna Hosahundi, Shailajesh questioned why officials failed to take adequate precautionary measures like putting signal lights, barricades, adequate rumbles, sign boards before proposing a flyover at the junction.
Ravi Bale said, if officials take adequate measures to maintain the ring road with proper lighting and others by spending little money, they need not have to spend huge money for big projects like flyovers, he said.
Shailajesh said, in order to avoid the glare of light of vehicles from opposite direction, only shrubs like ornamental plants like bougainvillea are allowed to be planted on NH medians. He questioned "how officials allowed to plant trees on the median only to be chopped when not needed? They should have planted them with atleast 50 years of vision at places where they did not have to cut," he said.
While officers stated that these trees were planted before 2017, Gantaiah questioned, even after proposing to cut trees, why they allowed to plant new saplings next to them.
Leela Shivakumar questioned why they held a public hearing at project execution stage and not at the beginning stages of the preparation for the project.
According to officials, NH PWD Mysuru division has taken up the flyover project at a cost of Rs 20.8 crore for a stretch of 800 metre on the Ring Road. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway has declared this stretch as a 'black spot' since there were seven fatal (deaths) and 15 non-fatal accidents in three years, up to 2024. The tender was already finalised - in July 2025 and it has been handed over to STG Constructions and the work order has also been issued. Officials of NH PWD Mysuru division had sought permission of ACF Mysuru division to clear these 48 trees on January 5. The forest department asked NH PWD to conduct a public hearing, as per section 8(3)(v11) of Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, and submit a report. Hence they held the public hearing.
Way forward
AEE of NH PWD Mysuru division H R Roopa said that they will send the report to the higher officials of NHabout opposition by environmentalists to chop the trees. They will take further decision about the execution of the project.
Sources at NH PWD plan to urge Mysuru DC to hold an inter-departmental coordination committee meeting along with Greens to take further steps related to the project.
ACF Ravindra, RFO Santhosh Hoogar said, Forest department is meant to save trees. Based on the resolution sent by officials of NH PWD they will decide about issuing permission to clear these trees. Recently they permitted the transplantation of nine trees near the ring road around Utthanahalli.
Greens were upset since representatives of Kadakola town panchayat and the police were not present during the hearing. Environmentalists Leela Venkatesh, Gayathri, Akbar and others were present.