Bengaluru: Nearly 5,000 trees to be cut for ORR, airport metro lines

Nearly 5,000 trees will make way for two metro lines that will connect the Silk Board junction in South Bengaluru with the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in the northern part of the city via the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

As per the environmental impact assessment reports prepared by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the 36.44-km airport line (Phase 2B) will affect 3,541 trees, of which 1,853 trees will be transplanted.

The ORR line will impact 1,248 trees, most of them on the median as 905 trees will be affected by the viaduct section. The report, however, says this number is small in relation to the scale of the project.

The environmental impact of airport and ORR metro lines.

“The overall significance of the impacts on trees and vegetation from the project design point of view is found to be moderate,” it added.

But unlike the airport metro line, the report does not mention the number of trees proposed to be transplanted. Instead, an assurance is given to transplant “most of the affected trees”.

Two rows of suitable ornamental plants will be planted on the medians of at-grade roads all along the proposed metro alignment.

Properties to be hit

Forty-two residential and commercial structures and 15 vacant lands will be acquired for the airport line. The BMRCL has promised to take “additional care” to protect the ancient Chikkajala fort, “which is already in a dilapidated condition due to the widening of National Highway 44”.

In comparison, the 19.75-km Phase 2A line passing through crowded sections of the ORR will affect 19 residential and 86 commercial structures besides three vacant lands.

Lakeview from metro train

Passengers travelling on the metro line will be treated to the view of several lakes. As many as 11 waterbodies, including Agara and Bellandur lakes, are located along or near the alignment of the ORR metro line.

The airport metro line passes near three major waterbodies: Benniganahalli, Nagavara and Hebbal lakes.

Most of the metro alignment is restricted to the existing road without infringing into the lakes or rajakaluves “except near Benniganahalli Lake where it passes outside the right of way of the ORR”, the BMRCL has said, adding that clearance has been obtained from the Lake Development Authority.