HMDA claims no trees were cut to make Formula E race track

Hyderabad: A total of 206 trees have so far been translocated and no tree was cut down to lay the track for the prestigious Formula E race scheduled to be held in Hyderabad in February 2023. Officials rejected the allegations on trees being cut down and said the Tree Protection Committee members visited the site […]

Hyderabad: A total of 206 trees have so far been translocated and no tree was cut down to lay the track for the prestigious Formula E race scheduled to be held in Hyderabad in February 2023.

Officials rejected the allegations on trees being cut down and said the Tree Protection Committee members visited the site on July 19 and recommended translocation. Accordingly, permission was granted to translocate 214 trees.

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BM Santosh, Managing Director, Hyderabad Growth Corridor Ltd. and OSD, BPP, on Thursday said, “we numbered all the trees that were to be shifted before taking the permission and these numbered trees were then translocated to Sanjeevaiah Park (125 trees), and NTR Gardens (81 trees). Totally we have translocated 206 trees till date.”

Dismissing the allegations that they were cutting out plants, he said not a single tree has been cut to make the 2.37 km track for the championship.

Explaining the process of translocating the trees, Dr. B. Prabhakar, Director of Urban Forestry, said, “we prepare a root ball without disturbing the roots and put Indole Butyric Acid which is a root promoting hormone. We wrap the roots inside a gunny bag, tying it up like a ball. Later we lift the roots with the help of a crane and place it with the gunny bag in a two-meter deep pit, fertilized with pesticide and compost.” The tree is then covered with soil and watered regularly for two months.

Large crowned trees were trimmed before translocating and copper oxychloride was applied on the trimmed parts to prevent fungi attacks, the officials said adding that the branches that were seen by people might be the trimmed parts of the trees.

“The translocation has taken place in the monsoon season which increases the survival rate of the trees,” Santosh said, adding that all 206 plants have a 100 per cent survival rate, and going forward there might or might not be 1 per cent casualties.

An amount of Rs.1,18,200 was paid to the Forest Department as a security deposit for the protection of these translocated trees. The pitting and other work were done by the urban forestry workers, while the extra soil and crane were the only additional expenditures.

The HDMA and State Government are committed to protecting the green cover, the officials reiterated while assuring that all necessary precautions have been taken to provide for a race track by ensuring minimum tree translocations.
Meanwhile, HMDA has planned to construct four foot over bridges and are planning a seating for around 30,000 Pax for the race.