Hundreds participate in walkathon for 'a greener and safer Bengaluru'

Bengaluru, June 23: Even as green cover in Bengaluru has been steadily declining over the last few decades, some efforts to reverse this phenomena are gathering momentum.

A Walkathon was organized as part of a campaign for 'a greener and safer Bengaluru'. The walkathon started from near CV Raman General Hospital in Indira Nagar.

It's been a long time since environmentalists and urban conservationists have been asking the BBMP to carry out a tree census in the city. However, with BBMP showing no sign of initiating this drive, residents have taken it upon themselves .

Meanwhile, authorities at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport have begun the process of translocating 7,095 trees over the next three years - one of India's largest such programmes - as part of a Rs 13,000 crore airport expansion project.

The overhaul process will include a new terminal, widening of access roads as well as a new multi-modal transport hub.

So far, the thousand-odd trees that have been transplanted since March have seen a survivability rate of upwards of 85%.