Days after the Gujarat High Court dismissed the petition challenging the construction of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) inside the compound of the Pratap Vilas Palace, paving the way for the railways to begin the work, the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) on Saturday began the work to inspect and mark the site where the building is proposed to come up. In a letter written to the contracting agency on Friday, RVNL told them to begin inspection for ground marking of the area, where the multistorey building is proposed. The Railways had originally planned to construct the building at Rajabaugh garden facing the Pratap Vilas Palace but shifted the location 265 feet away after citizen protests. The site, in fact, is also known as the biodiversity area of the campus, which is home to several trees and living species. The RVNL, in its affidavit before the HC, has also acknowledged that the site is of great importance from an ecological point of view. In its letter to the contracting agency, RVNL has said that it has received in-principle approval from the Director of Parks and Gardens of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation to transplant the trees that will need to be removed from the spot for the said construction. The RVNL has said, "Since it has been conveyed by the National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR) to RVNL that there is no space for transplantation of trees (on campus), RVNL has made proper arrangements for transplantation of trees outside the NAIR campus." The letter also indicates that the work has to be completed on priority. "The construction of NRTI project is of national importance and regularly monitored by Prime Minister's Office. the trimming and preparation of bulbs for trees that are to be transplanted will be done from tomorrow morning (Saturday)," the letter, signed by Manager of Civil works, Niraj Sharma, reads. Sameer Khera, Vice President of the Baroda Heritage Trust that filed the PIL against the construction in the HC, said the trust was contemplating an appeal against the HC order. "We held a review meeting to discuss the possibility of an appeal. The railway authorities seem to be in a hurry to begin the construction work. There are about 500 trees in the portion that is needed for this construction and most of the trees are up to a century old." The HC had dismissed the petition on Tuesday.
