The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday said it opposed the felling of around 17,000 trees to make way for the Central government’s redevelopment of residential colonies in south Delhi.
AAP spokesperson and Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said the party would launch a movement along with Delhiites to prevent the felling of thousands of trees for the redevelopment of the government staff colonies.
The colonies, including Sarojini Nagar and Nauroji Nagar, are being redeveloped into multi-storied residential buildings to house government employees. The cutting down of trees has recently begun.
‘Stabbed in the back’
Mr. Bharadwaj said the Centre has “stabbed Delhiites in the back” by cutting thousands of trees and that the AAP would not allow it.
He added that Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who was advocating for the project, had insisted that the recent hike in Delhi Metro fares was the right decision. Mr. Bharadwaj said after the hike in fares, Metro ridership had come down.
He said that the area under redevelopment was already congested and adding multi-storied buildings would increase the pressure on resources and infrastructure . The Centre could have made similar residential colonies for its employees in areas like Dwarka and Rohini, he added.