Transport Dept reacts to criticism on cutting of trees for HCBS

New Delhi, Mar 11 (UNI) Moved by criticism that construction of the first High Capacity Bus System corridor in the capital will entail uprooting of about 4,000 trees, the state transport department has reviewed the project to ensure that less than 1,500 tree need to be cut.

As many as 3,928 trees were originally proposed to be cut over the entire length of the 14.5 km-long corridor from Ambedkar Nagar in South Delhi to Delhi Gate near the walled city but after a review this total was brought down to 1,376 with 806 trees planned to be replanted, department sources told UNI.

So far, during implementation of the project more than 60 trees had been further saved by suitable adjustments and as many trees as possible would be saved by making such adjustments in future, they said.

Additional trees would also be planted on the corridor after its completion, it was stated.

Besides, compensatory afforestation of 17,790 trees, which was more than ten times of the trees cut, would also be taken up, they further said.

Permission to cut trees and replantation had been obtained following the due process from the competent authority under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act 1994, the sources said.

Land for afforestation had been identified and transferred to the forest department, which had also been paid the necessary funds for compensatory afforestation, it was added.

The need for cutting of trees had arisen to provide for exclusive bus lane, proper bus stops, cycle track and pedestrian path within the existing right of way.

In November 2005, the Supreme Court had given directions to the Delhi government to implement the HCBS within a fixed time frame and the Environmental Pollution Control Authority had been directed to monitor the implementation of the project.

The need for HCBS, among other modern modes of public transport, had arisen because the present public transport system in the national capital was found to be inadequate leading to phenomenal growth of private vehicles. And with more and more people using personalised modes of transport, pollution, fuel wastage and accidents were increasing.

UNI