UPDATE 1. We will deliver the petition to KRDCL authorities on 14 February 2. On 5 February 2020, Fridays for future along with citizens of Bangalore participated created a Human Chain to protest against the cutting of trees. 3. On 6 February Some citizens met Deputy conservator of forest and asked him to intervene but DCF suggested that tree authority can only send recommendations and are under a lot of pressure to pass the order for clearing of trees. 4. On 14 February Children protested in their school and outside on Sarjapur road to talk about the felling of trees in the green heart campaign. 5. February about 35 citizens from Bangalore visited KRDCL office to deliver petition and talk to MD about the project. MD denied the need for EIA or public consultation for any road widening project. Over 30 RTI were filled by citizens on 14 February regarding the project. Bengaluru, our green cover is under threat once again. 8561 trees are proposed to be cut for a road-widening project, in order to decongest the tech corridor. Existing two-lane and four-lane roads will be converted into four-lane and six-lane ones on the stretch between Bannerghatta, Sarjapur, Mandur, Anekal and Whitefield. Some of these trees are over 80 years old and include peepal, banyan, tamarind and other species. In just the past couple of years, air pollution has risen drastically in Bengaluru, with construction dust, garbage burning and the rise in private vehicles leading to more emissions. In the midst of this, the city's old trees are a natural buffer and their loss for development projects will lead to worsening impact of climate change, not to mention the health effects of air pollution. This is what the project looks like in a nut-shell. - 4 Projects - Estimate 2000 + crore - Cost per km - 8.44 crore - Numbers of trees to be cut - 8561(according to official number, actual numbers may be higher) - Lack of Transparency - No Detailed Project Report - Available in public domain -- Number of public consultation done on the project - zero -- Public consultation about tree cutting - -- On December 24, members of trees authority came unprepared to answer citizen questions. -- On 20 Jan 2020, order issued that jurisdiction of trees outside BBMP does not fall under Tree committee! Bangalore has always been known as the Garden City. However, rampant development due to unplanned real estate and road widening projects, we are on the path to losing that tag. We are moving backwards, destroying our green cover for a concrete jungle even as other countries realise the true meaning of development without sidelining the environment. We cannot let this happen. Sign this petition now. Reference https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/krdcl-proposes-to-fell-8561-trees-on-citys-outskirts/articleshow/73502165.cms

BMRC received all the suggestions from us. Last date of submitting suggestions was January 20, 2020. We would be meeting BMRC MD in early February to discuss the project. We met DULT Commissioner and BMRCL MD on 19 February 2020 and are following up on a number of recommendations sent by us. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BMRCL extended the deadline to gather public feedback on the proposed CMP (Comprehensive Mobility Plan) till January 20, 2020. Citizens of Bengaluru can send their comments to Metro using this page. 1. I question the legality of this CMP because it does not follow the due process described by KMC (MPC, Ward Committees) Metro is not the authorized agency to create a city-wide mobility master plan and will not clear legal scrutiny. 2.I demand that the elevated corridors be entirely removed from this plan wherever it lands. The project has been cancelled due to massive public opposition last year. Our city needs to stay focused on public transport for the next 15 years since we missed the boat for the last 30 years. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting stuck in traffic every day is the norm in the life of every Bangalorean. Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for Bengaluru while has some good proposal it misses out on some key aspects around mobility. We have Just 4 days, until January 6, to give our feedback to on the draft CMP for Bengaluru. The CMP, a 226-page plan, outlines an overall transport/mobility strategy and specific projects for the next 15 years in Bengaluru. The CMP Plan has not been prepared in consultation with the Bengaluru city Master Plan (RMP 2031). Ideally, it should be part of the master plan because mobility plans cannot be made in isolation. Where people live and work has everything to do with mobility. The biggest problem with this plan however is something all of us fought very hard last year - the dreaded elevated corridor makes an appearance in the plan for phase 2 and phase 3. Time and again, Bengalureans have objected to the proposal of the elevated corridor. Bengaluru does not need more projects that attract more vehicles and cut trees - instead, investments and energies should be driven towards public transport in the next ten years. The plan includes positive proposals around public transport and disincentivizes private transport (parking fee, congestion charge etc) but risks negate all these with the elevated corridor. We need to convey these points as such ad hoc plans are not likely to progress and likely to be at odds with the overall city master plan. Time is of the essence and if we want to have a better mobility system, we need to send in our inputs. Click on the email to send these to BMRC inputs to the plan before 6 Jan 2020.