Ahead of 11 Jan NGT hearing, ‘Save Chevella Banyans’ padayatra gains momentum in Hyderabad

The padayatra was launched on 2 January from Warangal and is expected to reach Chevella road on 8 January where a group of environmentalists is supposed to gather.

Nature Lovers of Hyderabad, a civic action group, launched the padayatra to draw attention to the banyan trees, some of them over a 100 years old, which are at risk of being axed due to the proposed expansion of the road.

“A case is already pending with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), but the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is continuing the work on the highway; hence the protest,” said Prakash, founder of the Warangal-based Medhini Social Service NGO.

What is the project?

The proposed expansion of a 46 km stretch of the National Highway (NH)-163 is from Telangana Police Academy in the suburbs of Hyderabad, to Manneguda in Vikarabad district.

Banyan trees on Chevella-Vikarabad stretch. (Supplied)

The project is a part of the Union government’s infrastructure development plan. An estimated 9,000 trees would be affected, including over 900 banyan trees, along the route.

The existing seven-metre-wide two-lane road will be widened to a four-lane-road at an estimated cost of ₹956 crore.

The existing narrow stretch on the road frequently saw traffic jams and accidents over the years. Due to this, locals have been demanding a better, wider road, which is also expected to reduce the travel time between Hyderabad and Vikarabad.

According to Natural Lovers of Hyderabad, the NHAI said that there would be 20 flyovers over the 46 km stretch to avoid the existing villages/habitations along the current road. Each would be flanked by service roads.

Read more: Using geotagging to protect the Chevella banyans

Translocation of banyans unviable 

While the environmentalists say they understand the demands of the locals, they argue that the road can be widened even without destroying the trees on the stretch.

They also alleged that the action plan of the NHAI project has not assessed damage to the environment while expanding the highway.

Nature Lovers of Hyderabad also opposes the proposed translocation of the trees — many of them planted during the Nizam’s rule — fearing they are too old to survive the process.

The walk was flagged off on 2 January by distinguished writer and Sahitya Akademi Award Winner, Dr Ampasayya Naveen. (Supplied)

“During a transplantation or relocation of a tree, the chances of survival are around 30 percent. In some cases, it’s even lower. And even for a 30 percent survival chance, the tree demands intensive care,” Natasha Ramarathanam of Nature Lovers of Hyderabad told South First.

“Translocation involves treating a massive tree like a bonsai — cutting branches, trimming roots, treating these with chemicals, and killing its soul,” naturalist Kobita Das had earlier told South First.

“What is moved at the end of this process is most often a stump with a few branches and leaves. It is not advisable for old and valuable trees,” she added.

Asiya Khan, another member of Nature Lovers of Hyderabad, told South First that even if the NHAI claimed that they are trying to save the banyans, they are disrupting a whole avenue of trees as well as the environment of Hyderabad and nearby areas.

“These trees are a passageway from Vikarabad forest to Hyderabad for purified air and in preventing floods. We are not talking about iceburst in arctic ocean, these trees are right next to us. Keeping in mind the floods of Hyderabad in 2020, where will water be absorbed,” she wondered.

‘NHAI working against spirit of NGT order’ 

The NGT hearing on the petition filed by the Nature Lovers of Hyderabad is scheduled on 11 January.

Meanwhile, the NHAI has already started the eviction process. “They have started marking of trees. They have also started demolishing the buildings near Himayatnagar village along both sides of the roads,” Khan claimed.

Slowdown Place restaurant being demolished for clearing purposes. (Supplied)

Ramarathanam viewed this as being against the spirit of the NGT order, which she said clearly states “no axing, falling or removal” of trees.

“This is a violation of the NGT order as, while the petition is pending, it should not be done. When this was brought up in the last hearing on 23 December, 2022, NHAI called it the work of the Irrigation Department or PWD agencies. But NGT said it is being done on your behest and for your work,” she recollected.

Ramarathanam added that, initially, NHAI told NGT that maximum 500 trees will be moved and the remaining 400 would stay.

“But when we last spoke to NHAI representatives, they said 700 trees will be felled. Clearly, more than what they told the NGT. Instead of reducing the number of trees affected, they have increased the number. ” she said. 

“These trees represent a rich ecosystem for flora and fauna that would go a long way in conserving the unique biodiversity of the Deccan plateau, and in mitigating climate change,” Nature Lovers of Hyderabad said.

They alleged that even though the matter is at NGT, the NHAI indicated that “removal of trees would start once it gets permissions from the Tree Protection Committee and the Forest Department.

“It appears that they are not going to wait for the verdict to start work, which essentially nullifies the entire judicial process,” the civic group added.

We demand that the trees not be displaced or axed. Each tree is a part of the natural heritage of the state https://t.co/Yvo9COtKk8

— Save Banyans of Chevella (@chevellabanyans) January 6, 2023