As per an assessment done by the divisional forest department in Ghaziabad, around 6,000 to 8,000 trees will be axed for the proposed widening of the city’s highway. Under the project, National Highway 24 and 58 will be widened in order to accommodate the increasing traffic.
The city has witnessed an unprecedented growth in the last decade or so. More housing projects are underway as roads in Ghaziabad struggle to ensure free flow of traffic. With more people settling in the city, the situation will only get worse. But the local forest division has raised concerns regarding the monumental environment cost which comes with the package.
The city of Ghaziabad is spread over a geographical area of 2,590 square km. Out of this, only 50 square km of area comes under forest area. This is roughly 1.93% of the total geographical area. The proposed project will trim the city’s forest area further. Trees which will be axed to make way for broader roads include Peepal, Jamun, Neem, and others.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has chalked out this plan for the development of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and other adjoining road tributaries. For years now, the residents of Ghaziabad have been demanding broader roads on NH-24 and NH-58. These are currently four-lane roads and traffic jams are a usual sight.
But are the people of Ghaziabad willing to pay such a major cost? Authorities have stated that a compensatory forestation will take place for twice the number of trees axed under the project. But trees aren’t a one-day wonder. It takes years for a forest to come up and in the meantime, the environmental impact will only deepen. The conundrum of striking a proper balance between development and environment continues to hang around as Ghaziabad gifts itself broader roads.
(Featured Image Credits: thehindu.com)
