BENGALURU: After years of protests and resistance, there will be minimal damage to All Saints Church’s ‘sacred grove’ with Namma Metro construction to change route yet again. The church and several others were involved in protesting after Namma Metro construction was scheduled to take place inside the church campus, taking with it at least a hundred heritage trees. The construction would have also required the demolition of Arpana, a special school for children with autism.
Since 2018, protests and meetings had occurred, with members of the congregation asking for the route to be changed as the grove of trees within the church’s property was considered sacred. Following a massive protest in December and a change in BMRCL leadership, an agreement was reached that the grove would not be harmed.
As of now, of the 4,582 sq m of the land to be acquired, only 166 sq m will be acquired and an additional 218 sq m will be used temporarily. In this backdrop, only seven trees will be felled.