Can a seemingly seamless ride to the IT hubs come at the cost of tens of trees? For those living around the HAL airport, where 46 trees will be lost, the answer is a clear no.
Citizens are gearing up for a protest, on the lines of the successful outpouring which derailed the controversial steel flyover project, against the proposed signal-free corridor on Old Airport Road.
Over 60 trees are expected to be felled for the project. Of this, 46 trees have been cut. On Tuesday night, the last batch of around 30 trees was felled.
While this is the last of the permissions given by the Forest Cell of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), a further 16 Silver Oak trees within the ISRO campus will be felled. “These trees are exempt from permission. Work will be taken up after Independence Day,” said a BBMP officer.
The project includes three underpasses at Kundalahalli junction, Suranjandas Road and Wind Tunnel Road junction, and expected to cost over ₹140 crore.
Online petition, protests
However, the felling of trees has irked residents. “These are fully grown, very old trees. We request you to save these trees at any cost... Our previous experience with signal-free corridors have not yielded favourable results with respect to traffic congestion. One more such corridor will only add to the list of failures. Hence, we perceive this as a short-term solution for which Bengaluru will suffer ever-lasting damage,” said an online petition started by residents of Vinayakanagar and K.R. Gardens, which has already garnered more than 3,000 supporters.
Apart from this, the angst is expected to pour offline. Residents are planning a human chain. A silent protest against tree felling is scheduled to take place at the HAL bus stop on Sunday.
Graphic
Signal-free Old Airport Road
Underpasses at Kundalahalli, Suranjandas Road and Wind Tunnel Road junctions
The promise: Vellara junction to Hope Farm in Whitefield in 20 minutes
Project cost: ₹140 crore
The loss: 46 trees; another 16 to be felled
Deadline: March 2018
Citizens are gearing up for a protest, on the lines of the successful outpouring which derailed the controversial steel flyover project, against the proposed signal-free corridor on Old Airport Road.
Over 60 trees are expected to be felled for the project. Of this, 46 trees have been cut. On Tuesday night, the last batch of around 30 trees was felled.
While this is the last of the permissions given by the Forest Cell of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), a further 16 Silver Oak trees within the ISRO campus will be felled. “These trees are exempt from permission. Work will be taken up after Independence Day,” said a BBMP officer.
The project includes three underpasses at Kundalahalli junction, Suranjandas Road and Wind Tunnel Road junction, and expected to cost over ₹140 crore.
Online petition, protests
However, the felling of trees has irked residents. “These are fully grown, very old trees. We request you to save these trees at any cost... Our previous experience with signal-free corridors have not yielded favourable results with respect to traffic congestion. One more such corridor will only add to the list of failures. Hence, we perceive this as a short-term solution for which Bengaluru will suffer ever-lasting damage,” said an online petition started by residents of Vinayakanagar and K.R. Gardens, which has already garnered more than 3,000 supporters.
Apart from this, the angst is expected to pour offline. Residents are planning a human chain. A silent protest against tree felling is scheduled to take place at the HAL bus stop on Sunday.
Graphic
Signal-free Old Airport Road
Underpasses at Kundalahalli, Suranjandas Road and Wind Tunnel Road junctions
The promise: Vellara junction to Hope Farm in Whitefield in 20 minutes
Project cost: ₹140 crore
The loss: 46 trees; another 16 to be felled
Deadline: March 2018