Axe to fall on 9,650 trees on Sohna Road

  • | Sunday | 23rd September, 2018

Ruchika Sethi, an environmentalist, said, “This is a very big number of trees which are going to be felled. We cannot dismiss this vital role, especially on a stretch which is flanked by number of housing societies and market places. The only natural capacity we have to protect us from air pollution is a large tree cover. “Under this project, three bus shelters have been proposed at Islampur, Badshapur, Dhumsapur, Bhondsi, Ghamroj and Alipur,” an official said.The 5-km elevated road would start from Subhash Chowk on Sohna road and end near Badshapur village, whose construction had been planned by NHAI as soon as it took over the road from PWD. “The work has been awarded and it will start soon,” said Ashok Sharma, project director, NHAI, Gurugram.In order to provide green cover around the flyovers, NHAI does have a plan to put vertical gardens.

GURUGRAM: The National Highways Authority of India ( NHAI ) has deposited over Rs15 lakh with the forest department to fell 9,650 fully grown trees along the 22-km stretch from Rajiv Chowk to Sohna for the construction of a flyover and an underpass, and widening of the road.“We have deposited Rs 15.30 lakh with the forest department as compensation for the trees which will be felled. Now, it’s their responsibility to fell the trees and find new places to plant saplings,” said a senior NHAI official.In 2015, the NHAI had taken over Sohna road from public works department (PWD), Haryana, three years ago and termed it NH 248-A — starting from Rajiv Chowk (NH-8 near Mini Secretariat) up to Alwar in Rajasthan, which is a four-lane road at present.NHAI has proposed a three-lane service road to expand the Badshapur road corridor. “Under this project, three bus shelters have been proposed at Islampur, Badshapur, Dhumsapur, Bhondsi, Ghamroj and Alipur,” an official said.The 5-km elevated road would start from Subhash Chowk on Sohna road and end near Badshapur village, whose construction had been planned by NHAI as soon as it took over the road from PWD. “The work has been awarded and it will start soon,” said Ashok Sharma, project director, NHAI, Gurugram.In order to provide green cover around the flyovers, NHAI does have a plan to put vertical gardens. Based on the concept of creating greenery even on concrete, Gurugram will get the first of kind vertical organic garden, whose maintennace would be under the contractor of the project for the first four years.However, environmentalists have their reservations about the project. Ruchika Sethi, an environmentalist, said, “This is a very big number of trees which are going to be felled. The only natural capacity we have to protect us from air pollution is a large tree cover. We cannot dismiss this vital role, especially on a stretch which is flanked by number of housing societies and market places. Perhaps the government can reconsider the felling at least for the next few years, till the city is off the radar of high pollution levels.”Forest department officials could not be reached despite repeated attempts.

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