Nagpur: It is truly said that development comes at a price. For the city’s ambitious metro rail project, over 300 trees will be chopped off during the first phase.
According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the proposed length of Nagpur metro is 38.2 kilometre and the work will be conducted in two phases. The first phase would pass from Sitabuldi to Mihan via airport while the second would be from Sitabuldi to Automative Square in Kamptee Road and Lokmanya Nagar near Hingna to Prajapati Nagar near Wardhaman Nagar. The first phase of 25 kilometre would incur an expenditure of Rs4,400 crore while the second one of 20 kilometre would require Rs3,800 crore.
The Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Limited (NMRCL)’s deputy general manager and public relations officer (PRO) Shirish Apte said that in the first phase, the at grade stretch (ground level) of metro will be around 5.6 kilometres long, starting from Mihan depot and meeting Wardha Road between new airport metro and airport metro station.
After a joint survey conducted by NMRCL and Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) garden department, 312 trees have been identified for felling along the at grade stretch. “Trees coming in the way of metro route have been marked and we have taken permission from the NMC’s garden department to cut them. We have also deposited around Rs25 lakh with the department as security amount,” said Apte.
Confirming the development, NMC garden inspector Amol Chorpagar said that NMRCL would have to carry out about 1,560 compensatory plantations as per 1:5 ratio. “The deposited amount will only be returned after the plantations are done and survived for at least three years,” he added.
Apte said that they are planning to do plantations at the metro depot area in Khapri. “We are also in the process of identifying more vacant areas for doing compensatory plantations after which we will start the work. Experts will be consulted regarding which species to be planted how to ensure high survival rate,” he said. He added that some trees will also be felled in the second phase of the metro rail project. “Though the second phase has elevated metro corridor, trees on the border would need to be cut. For that, we will again plan a joint survey,” said Apte.
NMRCL has got permission to cut 312 trees for the first phase of Nagpur metro rail project.
Trees will be cut at the 5.6 kilometres long at grade stretch (ground level) which is starting from Mihan depot and meeting Wardha Road between new airport metro and airport metro station.
NMRCL official said they have deposited Rs25 lakh with NMC garden department as security amount
NMRCL would have to carry out about 1,560 compensatory plantations
