Photos: Fallen trees turn into park benches in east Delhi

NEW DELHI: To save time and cost involved in transporting cut branches or fallen trees after heavy rains, East Delhi Municipal Corporation has started using them to create benches and ornamentation pieces in neighbourhood parks.
EDMC horticulture director Raghwendra Singh said that the trunk and branches of uprooted trees are auctioned to contractors or sent to crematoriums free of cost. “But both require timely transportation. The contractors eligible to bid for the wood are usually so busy that our employees have to call them repeatedly to come and take the tree parts and allow smooth movement of traffic. Likewise, we need to arrange vehicles to take trees to a crematorium,” Singh said.

The idea of using the wood instead for the parks occurred when a gulmohar tree fell on the EDMC headquarters complex a month ago due to heavy rain.

“We have rented space in that DSIIDC building, and we needed to consult the building owner before taking any action,” recalled Singh. “When nothing happened even after two days, we toyed with the idea of turning the tree into benches for visitors on the lawn. We shared the idea with the EDMC commissioner, mayor and standing committee chairman on August 14 and they also admired it.”

The concept was discussed again when two days later a huge jamun tree fell in Geeta Colony and getting it removed again proved a problem. “These two instances pushed us to find an immediate solution. I discussed the matter with my gardeners, who had worked as carpenters earlier, and they suggested multiple usage for the wood,” said Singh. “I checked such woodwork online and designated a nursery at Vivek Vihar for the collection of fallen trees. We have deployed three-four malis to fabricate usable items from fallen trees.”


Branches with big girths make benches and stands, while smaller ones are turned into guards for saplings and plants. Officials said the initiative was not only adding to EDMC’s resources, but also cutting the cost of installing benches in parks.“In the last five years, we have earned Rs 75,000 on the sale of trees and branches. Rather than auctioning them, turning them into products for parks, schools and other places is a better idea,” said an official. “We have the remnants of 25 trees at Vivek Vihar, and our workers are crafting useful items out of them.” EDMC is now considering treating dead trees in a similar manner.