Over 2,000 citizens oppose felling of 33,000 trees for Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project: Report

The planned felling of around 33,000 trees for the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project has sparked objections from over 2,000 citizens.

Published on: Jun 11, 2024, 19:00:10 IST

By Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

More than 2,000 residents have lodged protests against the proposed cutting down of approximately 33,000 trees to facilitate the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) by the Rail Infrastructure Development Company-Karnataka (K-RIDE), the Deccan Herald reported.

The NGOs are raising concerns about environmental impact and urging reconsideration of the project's approach. (HT PHOTO/For representation)

Namma Bengaluru Foundation and Jhatkaa.org, two NGOs, wrote a joint letter to the Forest Department, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and K-RIDE.

READ | In major leap, South Western Railway leases 114 acres land for Bengaluru Suburban Railway project's Corridor-4

"While the project is a significant step towards reducing dependence on private vehicles and enhancing sustainable mobility, the sheer number of trees proposed to be felled will have adverse consequences on the city. The plan must incorporate a clear compensatory plantation strategy, including the species and locations where plantation will occur," the letter stated, as accessed by the publication.

“At the moment, there is a lack of such a clear strategy for compensatory plantation, raising concerns about ecological equilibrium. It is fundamental to ensure compliance with the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976,” it added.

“The suburban rail can be started in the existing railway network, if proper signal automation and doubling of tracks are done,” the NGOs said in a press release, the report stated.

READ | Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project to finish by December 2027: Minister M B Patil

"The project is a significant step towards reducing dependence on private vehicles and enhancing sustainable mobility and efficient commute alternatives. While I do not oppose the project, I am deeply concerned about its ecological cost and believe that it must be minimised,” a representative of the Namma Bengaluru Foundation told the publication.

Similarly, a representative of Jhatkaa.org said, “It is time to make wise, ecological decisions.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.