At Sivananda Circle, a giant falls to make way for steel flyover

BBMP had given permission for felling 22 trees and transplanting another 12 trees to facilitate the construction of the controversial flyover

One of the several trees cut down at Sivananda Circle in the early hours of Thursday. DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V

The site of the steel flyover at Sivananda Circle on Thursday. DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V

Amid the monotonous drone of chainsaws, the first of the 34 trees identified to make way for the steel flyover at Sivananda Circle fell to the ground in the early hours of Thursday.

During a visit to the site at 12.15 am, DH saw around 10 workers toiling to cut through an enormous rain tree said to be more than 30 years old. The road from Sivananda Circle to the railway bridge was closed for traffic.

When the 55-foot-tall tree located in front of Hotel Rajkamal finally fell on its side, it blocked both sides of the carriageway. Workers spent the next half-hour cutting the trunk with chainsaws. A heavy-duty crane then loaded the three pieces into a waiting truck.

It was only last month that the BBMP’s forest wing gave permission for felling 22 trees and transplanting another 12 trees to facilitate the construction of the controversial flyover. The permission was based on the recommendation of the tree expert committee. The contractor will have to plant three saplings for each felled tree and take care of the transplanted trees for three years.

The BBMP document does not mention the age of the trees or their size, omitting the detail of what the city will lose by their removal for a flyover which many believe will move the traffic congestion from one point to another.

To a question, BBMP Deputy Conservator of Forests H S Ranganatha Swamy maintained that the notification (on felling the trees) was issued as per the rules. “The report from the technical committee has all the details (age and size of the trees).

We gave permission for felling and transplanting as per the committee’s report. The same has been executed as per the rules,” he said.

The construction cost of the flyover has risen threefold since the project was first proposed in 2016. The BBMP is set to pay Rs 39 crore for civil works and Rs 21 crore for land acquisition and strengthening the railway bridge.