Govt agencies say will comply with HC stay on felling trees

NEW DELHI: With the High Court here ordering a stay on any further felling of trees in Delhi till June 2, several government agencies in the national Capital stated that it will only have a “minor” impact on their ongoing projects.

Many key infrastructure projects are being carried out by different agencies and departments such as National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), PWD, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) among others.

After the court order, the forest department said they will ensure its compliance.

“We will ensure the court order is adhered to. We will send the court order to all the agencies and project proponents for strict implementation,” a senior forest official said.

The key ongoing infrastructure projects in the city include the Central Vista project, construction of Barapullah phase-3 elevated corridor, tunnel beneath Pragati Maidan, redevelopment of GPRA colonies in Sarojini Nagar and Netaji Nagar and the construction of three new metro lines under phase four.

A PWD official requesting anonymity said that the stay on tree felling will have only a “minor impact”.

“The order will be followed which may lead to only a minor impact on our projects,” the official said. The Engineerin-chief of the PWD, Anant Kumar, said that any major impact is unlikely.

“Our construction projects are already in an advanced stage so any major impact is unlikely there. The permissions for tree felling or tree transplantation are generally taken and executed at the start of the projects. We will follow the court order,” Kumar said.

An official of the CPWD, which is executing the Central Vista project, said that the department will follow all the prescribed rules.

“CPWD does not do tree cutting while executing its projects in most cases.

“Under the Central Vista redevelopment project, no tree is being cut by us. We usually transplant trees and follow all laid down rules,” a senior CPWD official said.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation’s power corridor, envisages a new parliament building, common central secretariat, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, a new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vicepresident enclave.

The DMRC and DDA refused to comment on the stay. Sources said that the legal department of DDA will examine the high court order.