Between April 2019 and March 2022, as many as 5,000 trees were felled to make way for track laying work of the bullet train and Metro projects. This happened, of course, with permission from the Parks and Gardens Department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Of the total count, 2,398 were axed in 2019-20 while another 289 trees in 2021-22, all with AMC nod for the mega bullet train project.
The civic body also permitted chopping of 75 trees on the Metro route in the city, and 670 more for other purposes like clearing the way for new construction of housing societies and office premises, trees that obstructed traffic, development of government projects which come under the Town Planning Scheme.
In 2020-21 and 2021-22, 438 and 33 trees respectively were allowed to be axed under the Metro project, which caused a loss of a total of 546 trees in three years.
“The permission to cut trees was granted as per the Saurashtra Vruksh Chhedan Dharo. However, the authorities assured the concerned department that they will plant trees elsewhere. As per the rule, the authorities compensate for cutting one tree by planting 10 more. They also need to maintain the newly planted trees,” shared an AMC insider.
“If the Metro authorities don’t plant trees in return for cutting them, they would have to pay Rs 2,500 per tree to the AMC. These efforts are made to retain greenery in the city. The city’s green cover is rooted at various places, from road dividers to footpaths and on avenue sidewalks,” he added.
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