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Indian Express
06-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
360 trees facing axe for railway commercial project near Bengaluru Cantonment station
However, the move has sparked concerns among local residents and environmentalists who fear that large-scale tree loss will further deplete Bengaluru 's already dwindling green cover. The RLDA, a statutory authority under the Ministry of Railways, plans to develop a commercial project on an 8.61-acre land parcel at the Cantonment Railway Colony, strategically located between Cantonment Road and Thimmaiah Road. The project, with a reserve price of Rs 236 crore for a 60-year lease, aims to boost Bengaluru's economy by providing residential apartments and commercial complexes. A separate one-acre parcel is designated for railway colony redevelopment. To facilitate this development, the RLDA has sought permission to remove 368 trees, many of which are heritage species like Peepal, Rubber, and Christmas trees, some over 100 years old. These trees are spread across a large area within the colony premises. In fact, environmentalists are also planning to launch a campaign, 'Save Cantonment Heritage Trees', opposing the felling of these trees. 'Citizens will be encouraged and appealed to lodge their protests by writing to dcfbbmp12@ the email account of the BBMP Forest Wing Chief, and to rldabangalore2022@ the official email account of the Railway Department,' said environment activist Vijay Nishant. Meanwhile, Rajkumar Dugar, convener for Citizens4Citizens forum, suggested that RLDA integrate the greenery into the design plan of the structure. 'I recommended that RLDA incorporate the existing greenery into the design plan of the commercial structure, instead of axing the decades-old trees. Working around the tree will add more value environmentally, similar to the design of Kempegowda International Airport's Terminal 2,' he said. He added, 'RLDA had already damaged saplings planted in 2021, as part of the preparatory work for the commercial structure. We had planted 2,365 saplings of 100 different species in a dense forest format inside the present railway colony. However, most of these saplings now stand damaged overnight for the preparatory work of the commercial building.'
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
368 trees, some over 100 years old, in Bengaluru's Cantonment area at risk for railway project: Report
A proposed commercial development project by the Railways in Bengaluru's historic Cantonment area has sparked public outcry after it was revealed that 368 trees, many of them over a century old, are slated to be felled. According to a report by The New Indian Express, the trees include heritage species such as Peepal, Rubber, and Christmas trees, all located within the Bangalore Cantonment Railway Colony in Vasanth Nagar. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Forest Wing has issued a public notice inviting objections to the project, which has been proposed by the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA), under the Ministry of Railways. The application for tree felling was submitted by the RLDA's Joint General Manager(Projects/Expert), seeking clearance to proceed with the plan, the report added. (Also Read: NIA meets family of Bengaluru techie killed in Pahalgam terror attack: Report) BBMP Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), BLG Swamy, said the notice was published last Friday. "Members of the public have 10 days to raise objections, give suggestions, or share feedback about the proposal. Based on the volume and nature of objections, the Forest Wing will communicate with the Railway Department. If the public strongly opposes the tree cutting, we cannot grant permission," Swamy explained, according to the report. In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Karnataka government has appointed Maheshwar Rao M as the new Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Currently serving as the Managing Director of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Rao will now shoulder the additional responsibility of overseeing the city's civic body, according to a report by the Times of India. Rao steps into the role vacated by Tushar Giri Nath, who has been reassigned as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Urban Development Department. Alongside his new role, Nath will continue to function as the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Administrator of BBMP. These changes come in the wake of Umashankar S R's retirement on April 30, necessitating a shuffle in top urban governance positions. (Also Read: Maheshwar Rao appointed as new chief commissioner of Bengaluru civic body)
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Cantonment commercial project sparks outrage over plan to cut 368 trees in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: The Commercial Development Project at Cantonment by the Railway Department has courted controversy, as it requires the felling of a staggering 368 trees — including Peepal, Rubber, and Christmas trees — many of which are over a hundred years old. Amid this development, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Forest Wing has invited objections from the public before granting approval for the project. Enraged by the proposal, environmental activists have called for the project to be stalled if it involves cutting down trees. According to an objection notice issued by the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), BBMP Forest Division, the Joint General Manager (Projects/Expert) of the Railway Land Development Authority, Ministry of Railways, Government of India, has submitted an application for the removal of trees located within the Bangalore Cantonment Railway Colony premises in Vasanth Nagar for the 'Commercial Development Project.' BLG Swamy, the DCF, BBMP Forest Wing, said that the notification was published last Friday. As per the notification, the public has 10 days to submit objections, comments, and suggestions regarding the project. 'Based on public objections to the project, a communication will be made with the Railway Department. If the public is not in favour of cutting trees, the BBMP Forest Department cannot permit the felling of trees,' Swamy said. Expressing strong resentment, Biodiversity Management Committee member Vijay Nishanth said that whenever governments have attempted to axe trees for unnecessary projects, citizen groups have successfully launched protests to stall them in the past. 'A campaign will be launched under the title 'Save Cantonment Heritage Trees.' Citizens will be encouraged and appealed to lodge their protests by writing to dcfbbmp12@ the email account of the BBMP Forest Wing Chief, and to rldabangalore2022@ the official email account of the Railway Department,' said Nishanth. He further criticized the BBMP for even entertaining the proposal. 'The BBMP should have rejected the proposal outright instead of calling for objections, especially when it clearly states that the felling is for a commercial project,' he said. 'The authorities seem to have turned a blind eye and lost their common sense in proposing such a project and seeking public opinion on cutting trees. The city is already grappling with rising heat levels and a shrinking green cover. We will also approach Union Minister of State for Railways, V. Somanna, urging him to announce the scrapping of the project if it requires cutting trees. His actions and decisions will reveal how much concern he truly has for nature and Bengaluru,' Nishanth added.
