Bengalur

BDA to hold public consultation on PRR on August 18

The project is expected to affect an estimated 33,838 trees

The Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) will hold a public consultation on the controversial Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) on August 18. Environmentalists and citizens groups are up in arms against the 65-km eight-lane road project connecting Tumakuru Road with Hosur Road as it will affect an estimated 33,838 trees.

The BDA has already received criticism for taking up a project that will have such a huge environmental impact. The public consultation will be held at ‘Nityostsava’ hall in Yelahanka. The Bengaluru Urban DC and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) will be part of the public consultation.

In an interaction programme organised by the Namma Bengaluru Foundation on Tuesday, BDA Commissioner H.R. Mahadev said that the authority will seriously study the suggestions made by the general public and act upon them.

Participants at the interaction asked the development authority to maintain greater public consultation and transparency while implementing projects in the city.

Commissioner of Directorate of Urban Land Transport V. Manjula, who was part of the programme, said that there was a need for a comprehensive plan for guided development around PRR.

Dr. Muthukumar Arunachalam from the Institute of Wood Science and Technology advised agencies in the city to consider saving the trees at the time of conceptualising projects instead of at the later stage during the execution. The authorities have to resolve the issue of finding suitable land to transplant the trees, he said.

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