Around 400 trees will be cut down for the phase I extension of Chennai Metro Rail that is planned to conect Washermanpet and Wimco Nagar.
For phase I of the project that covers 45 km, only 385 trees were axed.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), they will plant hundreds of saplings to compensate for the trees cut down.
It is to be noted this estimate of 400 trees is for the 9-km stretch that covers both the underground and elevated networks.
“This is an estimate. We will try our best to save as many trees as possible. In Phase I, to compensate for the trees cut, we planted thousands of saplings in several educational institutions and various other locations,” an official said.
Trees including drumstick, mango, teak, coconut, custard apple, neem, almond, guava, banyan and dates fall in the alignment of this project.
CMRL officials said the saplings that will be planted include tamarind, banyan, neem and east Indian walnut tree ( vaagai ).
Activists said the saplings have to be planted in the same area where the trees are being cut. D. Vijayabhaskar of Green Cross Exnora said, “What is the point of planting trees in the suburbs for the sake of it? If a tree is chopped down in Washermanpet, then it does not help if the saplings are planted in Puzhal. It takes at least three years for them to grow to a significant height.”
In phases
Delhi Metro Rail that has chopped over 35,000 trees so far for its various phases of Metro Rail construction has donated the trees to crematoriums.
CMRL says it will plant hundreds of saplings to compensate for the cutting of trees
