Bengaluru: 30 trees to make way for Sankey Tank road widening

BENGALURU: After putting it on hold for some time, the BBMP is yet again training its guns on the widening of the controversial Sankey Tank bund road and the axing of about 30 trees.

Since there were no takers for the widening project, the BBMP has floated short-term tenders for the third time. The BBMP proposes to take up widening of the road at an estimated cost of Rs 10.99 crore.

There is no reason why the BBMP should be hell bent on the widening of Sankey Tank bund road which stretches for about almost a kilometre, despite overwhelming protests against the same.

“First of all the bund cannot take the increased vehicle load. Besides, many activities have come up along the Stella Maris School which are running parallel to Sankey Road tank bund road,” said Dr Meenakshi Bharat, a resident of Malleswaram and member of Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative.

“Unless the BBMP rectifies the problem at magic box underpass at the Cauvery junction, the widening of Sankey road will serve no purpose. Widening the road would only mean the shifting of the problem from one place to another. Instead, the BBMP in co-ordination with the traffic department and the state government should take up the Mass Rapid Transport System. This helps reduce cars and private vehicles on the road,” she said.

“Besides the 19 trees that would face the axe for the Sankey Road widening, another 11 trees in the Stella Maris school would also be felled. The authorities of Stella Maris had obtained a status quo from the Sessions and Civil court claiming ownership of the property. The school authorities have contended that about 2,400 students study in their school and if their building was demolished or disturbed it would affect the academics of the children. Has the BBMP vacated the stay or is it going ahead with the widening?” questioned Ms Bharat.

“The BBMP has set up a Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC) and a Wet Waste Composting unit near the school. If widened, apart from the felling of the trees, these waste processing units which were set up with tax payers’ money would be wasted,” she pointed out.

Sources in BBMP Major Road wing said that the status quo has been vacated and that the work would be taken up soon after a bidder is finalised. Unfortunately, there are no takers for the project.

Widening project: No status yet

The BBMP had chalked out plans to widen as many as 216 roads across the city as envisaged in the Revised Master Plan 2015. However, following the hue and cry raised by residents about the demolition of properties and the felling of trees, the project was temporarily shelved.

But, neither the BBMP nor the state government has made it clear what the status of the widening project is. The BBMP’s plan to offer Transferable Development Rights (TDR) in lieu of property acquired has made the project run into rough weather.