Pune: 2,399 trees to be removed for flyover at Chandni Chowk

According to the proposal, a road to be constructed by the civic body as part of the project would affect a total of 2,399 trees and permission for removing them was given by the civic tree officer in August.

“In all, 1,454 trees would be replanted while 945 more would be completely uprooted for the project. Also, 7,197 trees have to be planted to compensate for the removal of trees from the construction site,” it said.

The municipal commissioner had received the proposal for cutting of trees at the project site on August 29 and permission for the same was granted by the civic tree officer on August 31. The municipal commissioner had further directed allocation of funds to the NHAI for the purpose and, accordingly, the Pune Tree Authority gave its consent to the NHAI for the removal of trees. The civic administration estimated the expenditure at Rs 1.5 crore.

Apart from the expenditure for cutting of trees, the civic administration also sought granting Rs 5 crore to the NHAI for shifting of water pipelines coming in the way of construction of the flyover, Rs 1 crore for security chowky of National Defence Academy (NDA), water tanks, toilet and boom barricades and Rs 40 lakh for demolition and reconstruction of the police chowky in Chandni Chowk area.

“The standing committee approved the civic administration’s proposal to allot funds of

Rs 7.9 crore to carry out the work of cutting trees, shifting of water pipelines, demolition and reconstruction of infrastructure for NDA and police in the adjoining land,” said Sunil Kamble, chairperson of the standing committee.

The proposal also stated that the PMC would be shifting electric poles and power utility cables from the construction site at a total expenditure of Rs 4.94 crore and drainage pipes at the cost of Rs 1.58 crore.

It said that the telecommunications department has decided to shift its underground cables from the site at its own cost. The Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd too has decided to spend from its own pocket for shifting of gas pipelines from the site.

Traffic from Mumbai, Satara, Konkan and Pune City flows through the Bengaluru-Mumbai bypass. A total of five roads meet at the junction.

The civic body faced a lot of problems acquiring land for the project delaying it after the foundation stone was laid a year ago.