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After felling 22,000 trees, NHAI to plant 1 lakh trees along Delhi-Meerut expressway
Ghaziabad: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will plant about one lakh trees along the under-construction Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) project in
Ghaziabad: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will plant about one lakh trees along the under-construction Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) project in Ghaziabad. The officials said the plantation will be apart from the compensatory afforestation for the 22,000 trees felled by the authority, for which it have already paid the requisite fund to the state forest department.
The first phase of the DME project is already operational while phases 2, 3 and 4 are under construction under the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh. The phase 2 of the project spans 19.28km, from UP Gate to Dasna, while phase 3 is 22.3km long, from Dasna to Hapur, and phase 4 is about 31.8km, from Dasna to Meerut.
“In all, about 19,000 trees and shrubs were felled for phases 2 and 3 while another set of about 3,500 trees and shrubs were felled for phase 4. As per norms, we have already paid double the money as compensatory afforestation for trees felled. Apart from the compensatory afforestation, we will be planting about 1 lakh trees along the expressway,” RP Singh, project manager, NHAI, said.
According to officials, about 88,000 trees will be planted alongside the two sides of the Dasna to Meerut stretch. The first row along the expressway will be of small to medium ornamental trees while the subsequent row will comprise ornamental/ shade bearing species of medium height. The third row shall have shade trees like neem, peepal, etc.
“Under phase 2, we will plant about 5,000 small trees as most of the stretch falls in the urban area and also have electricity lines passing nearby. Under phase 3, we will plant about 7,000-8,000 trees. Under both phases, the plantation will be carried out only in a single row on both sides. The rural areas have more space available, hence, such areas will have more plantation,” Singh said.
The officials said they have started the plantation activities and all trees will be planted by the end of next monsoon. According to the latest estimates, phase 2, which has 14 lanes, is about 57% complete and is likely to be ready by end of December. Phase 4, which will have six expressway lanes is about 55% complete and will also be ready by December.
The phase 3 is about 98% complete. Officials said the stretch has 10 highway lanes and may be ready by first week of September. The officials said the three stretches will have installation of about 3,500 solar lights.
“Solar plants will be installed for lighting the streetlights. The extra electricity generated through the solar plants will be supplied to the grid under the net-metering system,” Singh said.
