A total of 3,532 trees, mostly native species, were chopped down for the upgrading of the Chithode – Gobichettipalayam State Highway-15 from two lanes to four lanes.
Under the Second Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNRSP-II), the National Highways wing of the State Highways Department has taken up improvement and strengthening of the existing two-lane Erode – Gobichettipalayam highway, to make it a four-lane stretch. Work from Erode to Chithode has been completed, and work is now underway on the Chithode- Gobichettipalayam stretch.
Based on an application filed by K. Prabakaran of Kavundapadi under the Right to Information (RTI), the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the project in Tiruppur district, said trees including portia, palm, tamarind, banyan, teak, neem, beech, karuvelam, Indian jujube, guava, fig, peepal, golden rain tree and others had been chopped down.
The officer also said that ₹1,060 has been sanctioned for the planting of new saplings on both sides of the road and added that the sapling will be maintained for five years. The officer said work is in progress to plant saplings and withered sapling will be replaced with new saplings.
