Hyderabad: Infra projects spark outcry over loss of green cover

Large-scale tree felling for flyovers near KBR Park and IIIT Junction has sparked protests in Hyderabad. Activists allege due process violations, while officials maintain approvals were obtained. The controversy highlights tensions between infrastructure development and environmental conservation.

Hyderabad: Outcry grew after various city-based civilian organisations raised concerns about the cutting of trees for flyovers and underpasses at KBR Park and IIIT Junction.

In a fresh development, a huge green cover vanished after over 670 trees were removed from the IIIT junction and Khajaguda junction, where three multi-directional flyovers and an underpass were being built. The issue drew criticism as the work required cutting trees for the infrastructure projects.

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A couple of weeks ago, green cover near KBR Park was axed earlier for the steel flyover and underpass from Indo-American Cancer Hospital to Maharaja Agrasen Island in Banjara Hills, and green cover at IIIT Junction and Khajaguda junction was removed to make way for flyovers and an underpass.

Social activist Lubna Sarwath said that it is mandatory that the Designated District WALTA Authority is the competent Authority to give permission for felling of trees as per due procedure and under the Authority’s seal. Whereas there is no evidence that any such due procedure was followed.

She demanded that the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation authorities halt all construction activities as they cannot be undertaken without appropriate permissions in accordance with due procedure.

“This is about how decisions are being made in our city. When laws are bypassed, public consultation is ignored, and information is withheld, it raises serious questions about governance. Development cannot come at the cost of due process and people’s trust,” according to a few representatives of Save KBR Park.

Sources of the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) told ‘Telangana Today’ that, before removal of trees, tree enumeration was conducted at the areas of the proposed flyovers and underpass at IIT Junction and Khajaguda junction with the ‘tree protection committee’ (TPC).

Based on the report, a total of 600 trees were removed, of which 355 trees were translocated to TNGO’s land, another 220 trees were recommended for felling, and the remaining 25 trees were chopped off.

District Forest Officer, Ranga Reddy district, Rohit Gopidi, said that after the tree protection committee’s approval, the trees were removed to make way for the proposed flyovers at IIIT Junction and Khajaguda Junction. Based on their recommendations, many trees were shifted for translocation and a few of them were chopped off.

H-CITI project

The infrastructure project includes 3 Flyovers and 1 Underpass at a single IIIT junction, initiated under the Hyderabad City Innovative and Transformative Infrastructure (H-CITI) programme

4-lane Bi-directional Flyover (Level-1): From ISB Road to DLF Road

3-lane Unidirectional Flyover (Level-2): From DLF Road to Lingampally (Gachibowli Stadium)

3-Lane Unidirectional Flyover: From ISB Road to Gachibowli (Indira Nagar)

6-Lane Bi-Directional underpass: Gachibowli (Indira Nagar) to Lingampally (Gachibowli Stadium)