Palace Grounds robbed of greenery for road widening, 54 trees to be axed

The BBMP’s forest department has allowed the axing of nearly 54 trees before Palace Grounds (Gate No 4 to 9) on Ballari Road.

The decades-old trees will be removed to add two additional lanes to the existing stretch between Cauvery junction and Mehkri Circle.

The department has directed the BBMP to retain three trees on the site and translocate two.

Citizens supporting environmental causes have asked the civic body to pause the plan till the BBMP’s projects cell prepares the feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) on the Ballari Road decongestion. The feasibility study is expected to be ready in a month.

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Meanwhile, the road infrastructure department has begun widening a small stretch in front of Palace Grounds. “This is one of the traffic bottlenecks along Ballari Road. Traffic movement will be smooth once new lanes are added. We will also restrict entry and exit to Palace Grounds to ensure undisturbed traffic,” BBMP’s Chief Engineer (Road Infrastructure Department) B S Prahlad told DH.

The BBMP is also considering multiple short flyovers or a long one along Ballari Road, a major link to the Kempegowda International Airport.

Stretch will be bare

With the BBMP’s tree officer allowing felling of 54 trees, the stretch near Palace Grounds will be bare.

“Permission is accorded for the removal of 54 trees as per the tree felling norms adopted by the Karnataka Forest Department (KFD),” said tree officer Sareena Sikkaligar, also the deputy conservator of forests (DCF), BBMP, in her December 12 order.

It states that the high court-constituted tree expert committee conducted a field inspection report with the objective of retaining on site as many trees as possible.

Based on their report, the tree officer ordered to retain three trees and translocate two. To compensate felled and translocated trees, the officer has ordered to plant 10 saplings and look into their maintenance for three years. Among the trees axed are Peltophorum, Akash Mallige, Honge, Mahogany, Rain Tree, and Arali.

The order said the BBMP had received 50 objections and suggestions to the felling of trees on Ballari Road.

Senior environmentalist D T Devare said the BBMP must not cut trees in a hurry. “Feasibility study of decongesting the entire Ballari Road is not ready. Trees must be retained as it is until the BBMP finalises a holistic plan,” he said.