400 trees to make way for Outer Ring Road metro line

As many as 400 trees will have to make way for the Silk Board-KR Puram metro line (Phase 2A), with the BMRCL sending a request to BBMP forest department in this regard.

The metro line has been hailed as a panacea for the chock-a-block traffic on the congested Outer Ring Road (ORR). The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has taken up the Rs 4,200-crore project under the innovative financing model that involves investment from corporate companies.

Sources in the forest department said about 1,250 trees are located on the stretch, but most of them are very small. “Except about 500 trees, the other ones are young, aged less than 10 years. They will be translocated by default,” he said.

BMRCL General Manager (Finance) and Chief Public Relations Officer U A Vasanth Rao said they have conducted a preliminary survey of the stretch and submitted a request to the forest cell in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for clearing about 400 trees.

“Of the 400 trees identified, around 100 have been found to be fit for translocation. We are in talks with corporate companies in the area as well as the parks nearby to locate space for the trees,” he said.

People’s mandate

As per rules, cutting of 50 or more trees mandates the BBMP to consult public and take suggestions.

Deputy Conservator of Forests M K Cholarajappa said the department was yet to conduct a tree survey. “The request for clearing trees was received very recently. We have told BMRCL to send their staff for a joint survey of the entire stretch to examine the necessity of clearing each tree,” he said, adding that a decision on public consultation will be taken by the tree committee chairman.

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