JOIN USThe greenery is gone
Once a verdant canopy, the City was a paradise for many, a few years ago. With development projects skewing the green space, the City seems to be losing its green cover pretty fast.
Many trees have been uprooted as part of road widening project in the City. The latest is the Jayamahal Road where nearly 863 trees will be axed to make way for a wider road.
Metrolife spoke to a few officials in the BBMP about the status of the project. Krishnappa, deputy conservator of forests, BBMP, claimed that they have conducted a survey on the feasibility of the project. “We are still in the process of deciding how many trees will be felled. Since it leads to the Airport Road, the traffic congestion will be at an all time high here. We are conducting a survey as to what appropriate action can be taken regarding this project and will also think of an alternative,” he said.
“We are chopping only a few trees for road widening and not all the 863 trees will be felled. We would have decongested the traffic if we had the option of constructing another carriage way, but that is not possible now. We are trying to retain as many trees as possible,” claimed an official from the BBMP.
The ordinary people are all for saving the trees. They say the alternatives must be explored and have suggested a few as well. Bhargavi, who works for a private firm says, “I have seen that the road is wide enough for all kinds of vehicles to pass through. The government just needs an excuse to come up with new projects. I don’t understand why the government can’t think of alternatives other than chopping trees.”
Dr Roopa Shreeharsha, a resident of Jayamahal Road says, “First of all, the City is reeling under smoke and pollution. The trees provide fresh air and do the cleaning up act better than the BBMP. I think they must opt for wiser solutions than chopping off trees. I am sure there are developmental models, around the world which could be adopted for City’s planning and development.”
But there are people who are joining hands for development. Rajashekar, a retired employee says, “I have been in this area for the last three decades and the trees are also pretty old here. People will gradually accept changes in the course of time.
Development is inevitable,” he opines.
Vinay, an environmentalist from Hasiru Usiru, questions the feasibility of the project, “I wonder if it is really going to ease congestion on this road. It will still be the same with the vehicular population going up everyday. I don’t see any point in cutting trees and paving way for more vehicles. We are mobilising the local residents and plan to talk to the BBMP authorities to finalise things,” he sums up.