Indore: IDA pulls up private firm for cutting 257 more trees than sanctioned

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indore Development Authority (IDA) has pulled up a private firm for allegedly cutting 257 more trees than what was mandated to build Rs 52 crore flyover in the state's commercial capital, also the country's cleanest city for several years in a row.

While 1,320 trees were to be relocated 15 kilometres away to build the flyover at Khajrana Square and 2,640 saplings were to be planted as compensation, the private firm has gone ahead and cut and reduced to stumps 257 trees apart from the marked ones, IDA chairman Jaypal Singh Chawda said after inspecting the site on Friday.

"It has come to our notice the private firm has cut down 257 more trees than what was needed. IDA will not pay money to the private firm for translocation of these stumps. We had asked them to follow a scientific way of cutting and relocating 10 trees at a time," Chawda said. The removal of trees has made the heat unbearable at Khajrana Square, with several labourers at the site ruing the lack of shade.

"We are unable to find shade in this area, especially now when it is so hot and humid," Rama Bai, a labourer, said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had laid the foundation stone of the flyover in November last year and work is scheduled to be completed in 18 months, an IDA official informed.

On Friday IDA officials inspected the foundation of the first pier dug for construction, although the water and sewer lines have to be shifted by the Municipal Corporation before the construction of the flyover.

The Khajrana flyover will be cost about Rs 52 crores, under which two parts of 3-3 lanes will be made, thus it will be a 6-lane bridge, and its length will be about 600 metres.