Short tunnel: Citizens group demand ecological survey and alternative alignments

Stressing that over 21,000 people have signed a petition opposing the Short tunnel project at Hebbal, citing concerns over the felling of 1,128 trees, citizens group have requested the Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy not to allow the tree-felling until an independent assessment of the project’s ecological and hydrological impact is carried out.

In a letter to the Minister, the group said the 1,128 trees proposed to be cut down are spread across an approximately 2.2-2.3-km stretch, amounting to more than 500 trees per km. A vegetation survey has identified more than 1,400 trees along the larger stretch, it said.

The citizens said more than 70 species are among the trees proposed for felling and the alignment cuts through a green stretch of north Bengaluru that includes areas in Hebbal lake, Hebbal Tree Park, the Veterinary College campus and the University of Agricultural Sciences staff quarters. Further citing available bird data, the group said 95 species had been recorded on the Veterinary College campus and 183 species at the Hebbal lake. The mature trees and open spaces in the area support birds, insects, pollinators, it said.

The petitioners said the loss would go beyond the number of trees being cut, as mature trees provide shade, store carbon, cool the surroundings and provide nesting, roosting and feeding sites for wildlife. Compensatory planting elsewhere, they argued, cannot replace the ecological functions of mature trees.

The proposed cut-and-cover construction method, which involves deep excavation and a permanent watertight structure, could affect groundwater movement and recharge, the group said, demanding an assessment of the project’s impact on the lake’s catchment, rajakaluves, and flood risk in the surrounding low-lying areas.

The petitioners have called for a tree-wise assessment of the 1,128 trees, including the ecological value of mature trees, their root zones and the possibility of retaining them through changes to the project design. They have also sought an examination of alternative alignments and construction methods that could reduce tree and habitat loss, requesting the Minister to keep tree clearance on hold until these assessments are completed and their findings are made public.