Death by 127 lethal chops: If only trees had legal rights...

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The BMRCL (Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited) has begun felling trees on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), days after the Karnataka High Court permitted them to continue with the translocation, cutting of trees, and compensatory plantation works with regard to the ongoing metro alignment.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale allowed this while observing that it was not inclined to pass any order, though the afforestation work was slow. An apparent lapse in planning has cost 127 additional trees on the ORR metro line between Kadubeesanahalli and Central Silk Board (CSB).

The BMRCL had modified its construction plans and applied for the felling of the trees. In its final application, it outlined traffic obstructions, the existence of stormwater drains, and underground public utilities such as power, gas, water, and telecommunications cables as the reason behind the modifications.

The agency has maintained that it always tried to keep the tree felling to a minimum and the modifications were made in order to create convenience for commuters. The areas where the trees are being felled were once known to have dense populations of trees and wetlands.

However, most of the currently existing trees are only about 15–20 years old and are in young roadside plantations. Environmentalists have been angered by the decision and have said that it is a major lapse by the BMRCL. They have deemed the trees the voiceless victims of a planning process that did not take into account all the aspects during the early stages.

Residents of the city are disheartened by the developments. “It was heartbreaking to see this on Tuesday when I drove past the silk board, felt absolutely helpless,” said Nandan Hedge, referring to a video of the axed-down trees being carried in a tractor. Many have wondered why the trees have not been translocated instead.

Since the beginning of 2022, the BMRCL has already axed over 1,257 trees between Kadubeesanahalli, CSB and KR Puram after starting work on the ORR line. Along with this, over 780 trees have been shifted from specific locations and transplanted at different spots, amounting to 2,037 trees being removed from Kadubeesanahalli all the way up to Baiyappanahalli metro depot.