The Hindu : Front Page : Metro rail: 22 trees to be cut in Cubbon Park

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Thursday, Oct 15, 2009
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Metro rail: 22 trees to be cut in Cubbon Park

Anil Kumar Sastry

Cubbon Road between BRV and Minsk Square will be closed

BANGALORE: Even as the Krishna Rajendra Road and Jayanagar 4th Main (Nanda Talkies) Road are a pale shadow of themselves what with losing their glorious green canopy to Namma Metro, a similar fate awaits the road inside Cubbon Park skirting the Press Club and a portion of the park itself between the Election Commission Office and Old KGID Building.

If the Karnataka High Court gives the green signal, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., (BMRCL) is all set to lay an alternative road inside the Cubbon Park from Minsk Square via Press Club to reach the Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi in front of the Old KGID Building.

The process entails cutting 22 trees — a few to widen the existing road that passes by the Press Club of Bangalore and those that stand in between the Chief Electoral Officer’s office and the Old KGID building.

Changing landscape

The alternative road is proposed to divert traffic from Minsk Square that will be closed for the construction of the Cricket Stadium Underground Station.

A portion of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd., (BSNL) property that is housing the Central Telegraph Office and the BSNL Bangalore Telecom District Office has been acquired for the purpose even as HAL’s Ajeet Aircraft at the Minsk Square has been shifted. BMRCL has already launched work on construction of the alternative road in front of the Vidhana Soudha.

“However, construction of the alternative road inside the Cubbon Park and in front of the High Court is subject to High Court’s permission,” said Praveen Sood, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security).

While a portion of the historical Lal Bagh has been ceded for Namma Metro’s Lal Bagh Station work permanently, at least 800 metres by 60 metres of space within Cubbon Park will have to be diverted for regular traffic temporarily even as 22 trees will permanently be lost.

Although BMRCL claims that the underground station work should be completed within two years going by its track record, one will wonder how long the work goes on.

This apart, 65 trees, including the ornamental palm trees on Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi will be chopped for the Vidhana Soudha and Cricket Stadium Underground Stations.

Traffic chaos

Closing the Minsk Square means utter traffic chaos, said Mr. Sood and added that there was hardly any other alternative.

The stretch of Cubbon Road between BRV Junction and Minsk Square would be closed.

The traffic from Manipal Centre towards GPO Circle has to take left turn at BRV, then right turn at Anil Kumble Junction, again right turn at Queen’s Junction to join Queen’s Road and later move inside Cubbon Park to reach Ambedkar Veedhi.

The traffic from Balekundri Circle towards Queen’s Road will be allowed on a single lane in front of HAL Corporate Office while vehicles towards Cubbon Road will have to move on Infantry Road to later rejoin Cubbon Road.

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