Roots in chains
Strap (Page 1): Devanahalli jail project threatens 626 trees, sparking fierce debate over Bengaluru’s shrinking green cover
Strap (Page 7): Citizens demand transparency as Devanahalli jail seeks approval to cut 626 trees in green belt
Byline: C. Gupta
Bangalore’s famed green canopy is thinning — and fast. In just three years, over 12,000 trees have been chopped down to make way for the city’s ever-expanding appetite for roads, rails, and real estate. The latest flashpoint? A proposal by the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation to fell 626 trees in Devanahalli to build a central jail complex that would house 600 inmates.
Spread across 100 acres, the site currently hosts banana and mango plantations, sugarcane fields, and cattle and poultry farms. It’s also home to 15 inmates under an open jail model. But if the proposal goes through, the land will be cleared for a non-residential building and a connecting road.
Most of the trees facing the axe are Melia Dubia (Malabar Neem) — planted in 2014 and known for their fast growth and medicinal value. A teak plantation on the same land, however, has been spared after forest officials denied felling permission.
The proposal has triggered concern among citizens and environmentalists alike — not just because of the numbers, but because it reflects a larger trend. Infrastructure agencies such as K-RIDE and BMRCL have together felled nearly 9,000 trees for transport corridors.
Even the BBMP — the city’s civic body — has cut down hundreds more within its jurisdiction. Though the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act mandates public consultation before any tree felling, many feel their objections rarely influence the outcome.
Critics aren’t saying no to development — they just want it to be smarter. Can’t new buildings be planned around the trees already there? Why not plant new trees before cutting any down? And shouldn’t big projects include steps to earn green credits, protect biodiversity, and commit to long-term tree care?
As Bangalore heats up, with worsening air and shrinking wildlife, the city is at a crossroads. The decisions made now — open or secretive, thoughtful or rushed — will decide if “Garden City” stays a proud identity or fades into a memory.