The fate of trees on Ambedkar Veedhi, near Vidhana Soudha, remains uncertain. City planners say the road is not being widened but redone like the Vittal Mallya Road.
“The median will have barricades on both sides and the roads will be redone from the Institute of Engineers and will include Cunningham Road as well,” said BBMP Commissioner, M Lakshminarayana.
Brijesh Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests (BBMP) recently told City Express, “Those trees are likely to be cut but the Engineering Dept of BBMP has not approached me for permission, yet. The roads are being redone at a cost of `3 crore per kilometre and trees on the median cannot be saved.”
The trees are also in a very bad shape. Their roots have been exposed (see picture), most of the soil has been removed and the they stand with minimum support. A ten minute spell of heavy rains would be enough to bring the trees crashing down on the ground.
Meera Menon, a citizen of the city, asks, “Where is the need to have a new road. Bangalore needs its trees, please leave them alone.”
Environment scientist Harini Nagendra has already spoken to Express on the need for trees to cool the city and reduce air pollution in congested areas.