Delhi L-G Saxena gives nod to translocate over 200 trees from DU campus for new projects

The university’s chief engineer Anupam Srivastava told The Indian Express, “We are uprooting these trees from the site of excavation and planting them somewhere else to clear the pitch for the construction of the new buildings.”

Saxena confirmed this development and added that the upcoming projects include an academic block at Maurice Nagar, a computer centre building, library extension building and a building for the Faculty of Technology.

 “The compensatory plantation cost of approximately Rs 1,57,89,000 will be deposited in advance by the Delhi University,” said a statement by DU.

DU will plant saplings that consist of Neem, Amaltas, Peepal, Pilkhan, Gular, Bargad, Desi Kikar and Arjun along with other native species in a 24,120 sqm area identified by the university.

The entire cost of this project, exceeding ₹900 crore, will be borne by the central government.

“Saxena noted that a joint inspection of the project site, as per laid down norms, was carried out by the officials of the forest department with concerned officials of Delhi University. It was also informed that the project area site was not falling in a Morphological Ridge Area and under the definition of deemed forest,” the statement added.

In July last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for three new buildings at DU. The buildings are expected to come up in the varsity’s North Campus at different junctures in 2024.

The faculty of technology, with a project cost of ₹195.65 crore, is expected to be completed by November this year; while the computer centre is likely to be completed in May. The academic block, which will come up in Maurice Nagar, is being built at a cost of ₹329.3 crore and is also expected to be ready by November.