Protest held over felling 100-yr-old tree near Rashtrapati Ashiana
Dehradun: Environmentalists staged a protest at the public works department (PWD) office on Wednesday after a 100-year-old Toon tree on Rajpur Road, near Rashtrapati Ashiana, the President's official retreat, was felled, allegedly to make way for a foot overbridge (FOB).
Environmental activists had intervened on April 25 to prevent the tree's complete removal, resulting in it being only lopped at the time. However, it was eventually cut down over the following weeks.
Ira Chauhan, a member of Citizens for Green Doon (CFGD), an organisation working to protect the Doon Valley's green cover, said alternative suggestions to save the tree were disregarded. "We submitted a letter to the PWD on May 5 proposing various ways the tree could have been spared.
Design changes were possible, but they went ahead and chopped it anyway, just like in many infrastructure projects. Despite our objections, protests, and pleas to the authorities to preserve this ecological treasure, it was removed," she said.
The foot overbridge is intended to connect the 186-year-old Rashtrapati Ashiana – scheduled to open to the public on June 20 – to a parking area being developed on a defence ground opposite the estate.
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Currently occupied by the President's Bodyguard (PBG) regiment of the Indian Army, the estate will offer visitors access to the main building, a museum on the PBG's 251-year history, an equestrian facility, and other amenities.
"When the project was proposed, authorities assured us the green cover would remain intact. There are also reports of trees being cut inside the compound. They are building a foot overbridge, a universally failed concept, and it's likely other trees will also be harmed.
To open a park, one of the last green stretches in the city is being damaged," Chauhan added.
Activists said the tree had a width of over 300 inches and was crucial to the local ecosystem, supporting birds, insects, and bees. "We even offered to collaborate with architects to find a sustainable solution, but were ignored," said one protestor, calling the tree's felling a tragic loss for Dehradun.
"The decision to prioritise an oversized FOB over this majestic green cover reflects poor aesthetic judgment and a disregard for Dehradun's natural beauty.
It's disheartening to see tourism needs outweighing the well-being of Doon's citizens. This sets a dangerous precedent for unchecked urban development," said Himanshu Arora of CFGD.
While activists insist the tree was healthy, officials claimed it was damaged and needed removal. However, sources in the department admitted that the tree's felling was necessitated by the overbridge's design. "We've heard their concerns and assured them there will be no further ecological damage.
In fact, we plan to carry out compensatory plantation," said Jitendra Tripathi, executive engineer, PWD.
Given the district administration's earlier promise to minimise environmental impact when residents opposed the parking space, activists now say the tree's removal renders those assurances hollow and fear that more damage is imminent.
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