The Deccan Chronicle 27.09.2010
6,000 trees block Metro rail trackHyderabad, Sept 26: The GHMC has found that 6,000 trees stand in the path of the 71-km Hyderabad Metro Rail Project. This apart, 3,000 private and government properties, electric poles, water and sewerage lines as well as cables will also need to be removed — at an estimated cost of `1,000 crore. It costs up to `20,000 to translocate a tree.
The Metro Rail will run on three corridors; Miyapur to LB Nagar (29.8 km); Jubilee bus station to Falaknuma (14.7 km) and’ Nagole to Shilparamam(26.5 km).
According to Mr Veda Kumar of the Forum for Better Hyderabad, the GHMC also has to consider objections being raised by environmentalists who are concerned about the translocation of the trees. The environmentalist, Mr K. Purushotham Reddy, said that the government should constitute a committee of officials and environmentalists to help in the translocation of trees. Mr Kumar said, “The Tree Protection Committee that has jurisdiction over Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts should be consulted.”
The GHMC additional commissioner, Ms P. Anuradha, said a report to the trees will be sent to the Hyderabad Metro Rail officials and an action plan will then be decided on.
The additional commissioner (electrical and works), Mr Rajendra Prasad, confirmed that joint inspections are being conducted to list the number of electrical poles, transformers, drainage and sewer lines, cables and other infrastructure that need to be shifted.
When contacted, the managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail, Mr N.V.S. Reddy, however, said that only a small number of trees would need to be translocated.
