THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A shady green canopy can provide a great sense of relief for those venturing outside on a hot sultry day. However, on the flip side, planting of trees on roadsides have to be done with care.
The Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited ( TRDCL) which has been at the helm of spearheading the green initiative of beautifying cityscape through planting saplings and their maintenance, has warned against unscientific planting of tree saplings.
’There is a list of trees suggested by the Indian Road Congress which can be planted on the roadsides. Breaching this rule, many trees are found on the roadsides which are contributory factors to flooding in some areas with their lateral roots penetrating deep and wide beneath the earth surface. If there are drains nearby, they also tend to get choked by the spread of the tree roots,’’ said Anilkumar Pandala, project director of TRDCL.
During the ongoing ‘Operation Anantha’ flood mitigation drive, authorities have pointed at the hurdles posed by huge trees even in the middle of the road and those encroaching on the routes where canals pass by.
The ideal kind of trees for road avenues are those which have straight and thick tap roots which grow directly down the surface. Another important rule to be followed is that a distance of at least 15 metres has to be kept between two trees. No trees from the ficus genus, with aerial roots, that grow above the ground, should be planted. Likewise are the rain trees which have thick foliage and fruit- bearing trees.
’The leaves and fruits which fall from these trees during the rains get washed into the drains and this could impede water flow resulting in water-logging. The leafy trees are vantage nestling points for birds and their faeces spoil the walkways,’’ he said.
According to him, the kind of planting trees surrounding the road outside Central Stadium here is a fine example of proper planting of trees.
The importance given for waysides must be equal for the medians and certain cardinal rules must also be followed here.
If a taller tree finds a space on the medians, it can mar the vision of motorists putting a question mark on road development and widening activities that may arise later.