As many as 77 fully-grown trees, including 25 neem (vepa), 20 raintrees (nidra Ganneru) and three banyan (marri) trees, on either side of the main road between Kusumanchi and Gattusingaram would be felled for widening the Kusumanchi-Nelakondapalli main road.
The Roads and Buildings Department has already invited tenders to cut the trees for four-laning the 1.5-km Kusumanchi-Nelakondapalli road, sources said.
The Department has reportedly obtained permission from the Forest Department to cut the trees after paying the prescribed amount for compensatory afforestation.
It has been stipulated in the tender notification that the work on removal of all the trees should be carried out in strict adherence to the norms from August 5 to 14.
The widening of the existing stretch has become imperative to ease the traffic congestion on the busy road, sources in the R&B Department said.
However, the loss of green cover due to the proposed felling of trees has become a cause of concern for nature-lovers.
The authorities should have translocated the trees instead of felling them, contended E. Satyanarayana of Kusumanchi, a frequent user of the road.
The R&B Department should have emulated the Police Department which successfully translocated a giant neem tree to the ACP’s new camp office in the heart of Khammam a month ago.
The serene atmosphere and shade along the Kusumanchi-Gattusingaram road would be lost forever if such a huge number of trees were cut down, he pointed out.
The tender notification for removal of trees was issued on Monday after obtaining the requisite permission from the Forest Department, said R. Srinivasa Rao, Assistant Engineer, R&B Department, Kusumanchi Section.
Our department has remitted the stipulated amount in favour of the Forest Department for compensatory afforestation, he said, adding that plans were afoot to take up avenue plantation on either side of the main road in a big way.