Bengaluru: The Garden City still has roads lined with large trees. The Jayamahal road is the greenest among them. But soon it is going to be history as the North-South Elevated Corridor from Hebbal to Silk Board threatens to grey the entire stretch.
As per the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, the trees will either be pruned, relocated or felled.
Majority of the trees in this stretch are fully grown with large wide canopy.
Many trees on this 2.5 km stretch road from Mekhri Circle to the Cantonment Railway station underpass were marked for translocation two years ago by the BBMP to either the Palace Grounds or to the foot path of the same road.
Later, the BBMP Commissioner had clarified that none of the trees on this stretch on the meridian would be touched. Now these trees may see their last owing to the Elevated Corridor Project. The meridian trees have to be cleared to accommodate the corridor piers.
Even though the environmental impact report insists on all possible efforts to save the trees, the translocation of a tree depends on the size of the tree, general health, root size and quality, species and conservation status.
The report submitted by the project executor of the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) says that the translocation of a tree depends on the availability and suitability of a receptor site, the time for preparation and cost-effectiveness.
KRDCL report says, “A vertical garden shall be grown on the piers to enhance the aesthetic value and to address the vehicular pollution. Suitable ornamental plants shall be planted in the medians of the grade roads all along the proposed alignment of elevated corridors.”
The media reports on the project felling 150 trees in Cubbon Park have triggered a public outcry on social media platforms and citizen groups have called for a protest against the corridor project on March 16.
