With the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) deciding to build a flyover between the Government Industrial Training Institute and the Training Centre Bus Stop on Tiruchi-Thanjavur National Highway, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Tiruchi, has started translocating roadside trees along its campus to facilitate construction of the bridge.
Nearly 500 fully grown trees are to be uprooted carefully and replanted at various places on its campus. The process has begun and is expected to be completed within six months, BHEL has said.
The new bridge was sanctioned following persistent demands from the public in view of frequent accidents in and around the Ganesa Point Roundabout. A large number of BHEL employees also have to cross the highway for their commute every day as it runs through the industrial complex and its township.
The flyover, to be built at a cost of nearly ₹50 crore, is expected to be completed within a year from the date of commencement of the work.
BHEL is utilising its in-house resources and expertise to translocate the trees from the roadside to vacant spaces inside its factory and township. It will be spending about ₹1,500 to translocate each tree.
The process involves painstaking work, including trimming of branches, uprooting the tree along with soil, transporting it to a new location, planting the tree and providing required nutrients for its survival. Over the past few days, about 20 trees have been translocated.
BHEL-Tiruchi recently launched a major greening initiative and targeted to plant about 5 lakh saplings on its premises, which already has over a million trees, to ensure ambient air quality on its campus. The greening drive is also in progress.
