BENGALURU: The Horticulture Department has said that 120 trees in Cubbon Park will not be axed to make way for the elevated corridor project. The Department has said that no such communication was received from Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) seeking permission, nor would such a permit be granted, even in the future.
Dr M Jagadish, joint director, Horticulture Department, said, “The KRDCL has so far not held any meeting in this regard, and neither have they marked any trees inside Cubbon Park. Even if the project demands axing trees, there should be some communication, as permissions are required,” he said.
“Cubbon Park is considered a heritage green site in the city, and we can’t issue permissions for such projects. No construction or obstruction can be allowed at such a spot,” Jagadish added.
Krishna Reddy, former chairman of KRDCL, in whose tenure the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project was conducted, told TNIE, “I wonder how the 12-metre-high elevated corridor can cause damage to trees in Cubbon Park. In fact, the height of the elevated road, wherever it is planned for, will be 12-metres (40 ft) above the existing road. I don’t know how some people have assumed that trees in Cubbon Park will be axed.”
Reddy added, “We have not planned the elevated corridor inside Cubbon Park. The road will go along Hudson Circle, then Mahatma Gandhi Circle, and will then go towards Minsk Square. Trees on the median along this route will be cut for the project, but this will have no impact on trees in Cubbon Park.”
Ganesh M, chairman, KRDCL, could not be reached for comment.