Should tree felling woes derail Namma Metro?

  • November 21, 2021
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The proposed Namma Metro link from Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport will be built at a huge environmental cost and at the expense of Bengaluru’s green cover. On the other hand, the Metro will lead to a significant reduction of emission in one of the city’s most traffic-dense areas. Sandhya Balakrishna, an activist from Jhatkaa..org, which started an online petition against the felling of trees for the proposed airport line and BMRCL spokesperson Yeshwanth Chavan, debate the issue.

'Cutting is Inevitable' -Yeshwanth Chavan

The Namma Metro is a mega project, one that has been a major enabler in the city’s transition towards sustainability. The cutting of trees is an unfortunate but inevitable consequence of such a massive construction. However, it must be said that the total number of trees to be transplanted or cut has been exaggerated by the activists. For our part, we are not in favour of cutting trees. Instead, we are carrying out the work in a phased manner and with the necessary precautions in place to ensure that we don’t harm natural resources or any other structure along the way.

The majority of the trees that will be affected are mostly small. However, details like species, girth, trunk and height of the trees that will be impacted are not currently available. This information will be put out soon, after BMRCL has completed its inspection.

The work will begin in about three months. The civil works contract has been bagged by a Hyderabad-based firm, NCC Ltd. As of now, a total of 522 trees will be cut or translocated to facilitate work along the 13.92 km Nagawara-Kalena-Agrahara (Gottigere) Line. The court order has come as a big relief as it could have delayed the Pink Line.

The company has always prioritised translocation or transplantation over felling as much as possible and has done so in areas like Bannerghatta and Whitefield back in 2018. Even now, strong mitigation measures have been adopted, including transplantation and compensatory plantation. BMRCL Managing Director Anjum Parwez has already stated that the BMRCL will be transplanting about 5,500 trees for phase-2 projects, but would also ensure 50,000 trees would be planted as compensation for it. An expert committee will be formed to see to the matter and consulted at every step. The tree officer’s approval will also be obtained. We have so far acquired 2,91,470 square metres of land out of the 3,13,367 sqm required. We need around five acres near Shettygere depot near the Airport Trumpet, which is government land but is disputed by a family, and 2 acres at Hebbal from BMTC and bits and patches along the stretch. Precautions will be taken to protect the structures on the line. Similar work had been carried out for the Cubbon park station and many others.

BMRCL's transplatation efforts

In 2018, BMRCL transplanted trees near Bannerghatta Road, Whitefield, JP Nagar and Sarjapur to make room for construction of Metro lines. By transplanting mature trees, parks and lakes can get instant green cover and the method is more effective than planting saplings. If the transplantation is carried out competently, the tree has an 80 percent rate of survival. Trees that are healthy, structurally sound and high on conservation value are recommended for transplantation. The department also provides funds for their maintenance post the procedure and closely inspects transplanted trees for around three years before the final installment of the contract amount is paid.

'Loss of green cover too heavy a price'- Sandhya BalaKrishnan
 
The felling of trees should be the exception to the rule, in a city which cares for its ecology and environment. In Bengaluru, however, it has been rampant – huge infrastructure projects invariably involve a massive loss of green cover and are rarely denied permission to do so.
 
Can we progress blindly this way? Is it not our right to transparency, to be able to speak up against big development initiatives that threaten to destroy our environment? Instead, we are met with systemic confusion from government bodies. We don’t stand against development but this is a heavy price to pay. Is it truly worth it? Or do our authorities need to come up with more environmentally-friendly solutions?
 
The proposed Metro route from Silk Board to Ibbalur is lined with beautiful trees, including the Akash Mallige, Hunge, Gulmohar, Tabebuia Rosea, rain trees, Ashoka, mahogany, banyan and cluster fig. All have large canopies and all have been marked for felling. The official estimation is that around 3,366 trees will be affected but the actual number may be as high as 5,500 in a 55-km stretch.
 
The data on projects of such magnitude and their environmental impact needs to be readily available. However, since the BMRCL project has been broken up to fragments, the data is complex. My RTI applications to the BMRCL have received no response. Since we are emerging from the pandemic, we haven’t been able to check these stretches until now. As citizens, we question the timing and the lack of meaningful public consultation.
 
The Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bangalore Urban, has recently come out with another public notice for the proposed felling of 236 trees for the construction of the Metro at Dooravani Nagar and Kempapura Cross. This is for Phase 2B, Package 1. There are now a total of nine public notices for the proposed tree-felling on the Namma Metro Airport Line, with a whopping 4,774 trees marked out to be felled. And we still don’t know if this is the final number.