Bengaluru: Work has begun on the controversial short tunnel connecting Hebbal Junction and Veterinary College on Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) Road, even as the authorities are yet to complete a survey to determine the fate of nearly 540 trees likely to be affected by the project.The preparatory excavation has commenced on the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU) campus, where an earthmover is operating on a treeless stretch after the area was cleared of grass. Nearby, several trees have been tagged with identification numbers, indicating that the assessment of vegetation is in progress.The commencement of work has triggered fresh concerns over the project’s environmental impact, with activists and university officials questioning the pace at which construction is moving ahead before decisions on tree transplantation and compensation are finalised.A senior KVAFSU official, requesting anonymity, said the university has sought a pause in the work until Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) provides complete details of the project. “The university has not received the detailed project report. We’ve only been shown sketches and given a broad overview. The terms of land compensation and exchange and the plan for transplanting trees have not yet been discussed,” the official said.Environmentalists have also questioned the manner in which the project is being executed. Dattatraya T Devare of Bangalore Environment Trust said doubts have been raised over whether the tunnel would effectively address traffic congestion.“Citizens have expressed reservations about the tunnel road being a solution to Bengaluru’s traffic problem. Under these circumstances, there should ideally be a public consultation. Instead, the project is being executed rapidly without one,” he said.An official who was associated with the university until recently said the project would result in the loss of several key facilities on the campus, including fodder cultivation plots, a portion of the university’s regional office used by the vice-chancellor, old vehicle parking areas, and water infrastructure such as sumps and borewells.The official added that while the area above the cut-and-cover tunnel could potentially be developed as lawns, it would no longer be suitable for fodder cultivation or the movement of heavy vehicles.No tree cut yet: BDABDA engineer member Praveen Lingaiah told TOI that around 540 trees are likely to be affected, with the authority planning to transplant most of them on the university campus or the Hebbal Lake premises. “We’ve started work only on the open space and have not cut any trees. Detailed survey is underway and the notification specifying the number of trees to be cut or transplanted will be issued later this week,” he said.BDA commissioner P Manivannan, meanwhile, maintained that only preparatory work has started. “The work currently underway is only for preparing the labour camp. Normally, labour camps are put up as temporary shanties, but we’ve instructed that this one must be constructed strictly in accordance with the prescribed rules. As for the trees, we’re waiting for GBA to complete its assessment and specify how many trees can be transplanted,” he said.The foundation stone for the Rs 1,385-crore project, being implemented by BDA, was laid by then deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on June 28. The tunnel, which will be constructed using the cut-and-cover method, is targeted for completion in 18 months.
