Satellite Town Ring Road
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The BBMP has made a proposal to plant 10,900 saplings on both sides of the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) between Dobbspet and Doddabelavangala (Doddaballapur) in the city's outskirts.
The civic body will spend about Rs 3.4 crore for the compensatory afforestation activity, which is Rs 3,100 per sapling.
Although the afforestation activity does not happen in the area within the BBMP's jurisdiction, the civic body has reportedly undertaken the task at the request of the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise (K-RIDE).
K-RIDE is overseeing the construction of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project, which necessitates the felling of numerous trees.
In the past, Namma Metro entrusted compensatory afforestation duties to the BBMP. However, it later withdrew the contract due to a significant decrease in the survival rate of the planted saplings.
Tender documents reveal that the BBMP has agreed to maintain the saplings for four years, up to 2028-29, besides planting the saplings in the 40-kilometre stretch recently opened by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The NHAI confirmed that the civic body sought its permission, but did not respond to certain concerns it raised while issuing conditional permission.
Among the 50 items included in the category of work in the tender include bamboo tree guards, chemical fertilisers, removing grass and weeds around the plant, watering the seedlings, employing one semi-skilled labourer for every 1,000 saplings, and fixing signboards.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP, BLG Swamy was not available for comment.