ORR Metro: Bangalore Metro Secures Karnataka HC Nod To Axe 577 Trees, Translocate 212 Trees Between Silk Board And Kadubeesanahalli

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (Dec 24) permitted the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to cut 577 trees, translocate 212 trees and retain 44 out of 833 trees between Central Silk Board and Kadubeesanahalli stretch of the under-construction Phase-2A of the ORR (outer ring road ) Metro project, The New Indian Express reported.

The High Court order was considered a formality after the Technical Experts Committee (TEC) already approved the application in November.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magaum passed the order while allowing the application filed by the BMRCL seeking permission to cut trees based on the TEC report

BMRCL submitted an application in June this year requesting to cut 833 trees between Central Silk board junction and Kadubeesanahalli (9.7 km). But permission to remove 44 trees was denied and order was passed to let them remain at their current location. Another 212 trees will be translocated. Locations for translocation have been identified for them in Bagmane Tech park, CMP training centre and lake areas located near Bhoganahalli, Thubarahalli and Nallurahalli, among others..

BMRCL has also made another application to axe1,026 trees for the ORR line between Kadubeesanahalli and KR Puram

According to BMRCL proposal submitted to the tree committee for approval, 2115 trees were surveyed out of which 1257 will be felled, 780 will be translocated and 71 trees will be retained on the site.

The court order will come as a relief to BMRCL as the completion of an extended 15 km Purple Line project from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield was repeatedly delayed by legal wrangling between environmental and local authorities over relocation of around 60 trees near Benniganahalli Lake.

Mumbai-based Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. and Bengaluru-based Shankaranarayana Constructions Pvt. Ltd, are currently building the 19.9 km Central Silk Board – KR Puram (Phase 2A) of the 57 km ORR -Airport blue line project.

Afcons Infrastructure Limited is executing the first package of Phase 2A— 9.8km elevated section with six stations (Central Silk Board Junction, HSR Layout, Agara Junction, Iblur Junction, Bellandur, Kadubeesanahalli and construction of a 2.8m flyover at Central Silk Board). The package is valued at Rs.785 crore.

Shankaranarayana Constructions Pvt Ltd is constructing the second package — 9.7km elevated section with seven stations (Kodibisanahalli, Marathahalli, ISRO Layout, Doddanekkundi, DRDO Sports Complex, Saraswathi Nagar (Mahadevapura) and KR Puram and a 2km link line to Byappanahalli depot). The package is valued at Rs.623 crore.