Trees axed for TenderSURE roads in Jayanagar

As many as eight full-grown trees were felled to pave way for TenderSURE roads in Jayanagar 5th Block on Wednesday. The BBMP is laying TenderSURE roads on 11th Main of Jayanagar 5th Block as part of its project to develop five roads at a cost of Rs 85 crore. Most of the trees which were cut were Gulmohars. Kshitij Urs, a resident, said he was deeply anguished to see the trees felled.

BBMP chief engineer (road infrastructure) S Somashekhar said the felling of the trees was inevitable to shift utilities (Bescom and OFC cables, drains, water pipelines).

“These trees had become weak and were rendered hollow by termites. While laying the cables, there was a need to cut the roots too, which would have weakened the trees further and uproot them during rains. We will compensate for the loss by planting saplings there,” said Somashekhar.

Byrasandra corporator N Nagaraju said he was hurt to know that the trees had been chopped. He demanded that the forest cell of the BBMP plant saplings, double the number of trees felled.