And in Bengaluru,where every road project comes with some promise of easing traffic,this kind of pushback is not small thing ah.
On June 21,2026,residents of Indiranagar in Bengaluru conducted independent tree survey against proposed elevated corridor project . This corridor is planned to connect Old Madras Road and Silk Board,and concern is mainly around what happens to trees and local greenery.
What makes whole thing uncomfortable is gap between official numbers and what residents found . Project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) reportedly said approximately 235 trees would be impacted,but residents identified over 800 trees along proposed flyover alignment .
And that is not small difference only . We are not talking about 20-30 trees here. Over 800 trees means entire stretch has living ecosystem around it,not just “obstacles” for construction.
Survey was organized by civic group I Change Indiranagar (ICI),and more than 100 residents joined in . They divided into teams and used Nature Ark’s Urban Tree Map application to document trees properly,capturing more than 1,500 images.
Few things standing out clearly in this case:
- More than 100 residents participated in survey,showing strong local involvement .
- ICI reported nearly 90% of documented trees appeared to be in healthy condition .
- Survey also noted bird species,including white-cheeked barbet and rose-ringed parakeet .
Residents documented species like big leaf mahogany,gulmohur,and rain tree . And honestly,when trees are healthy and supporting birds also,it becomes harder to treat area like empty construction zone.
The bird part is important too,even if people usually ignore it during infrastructure discussions . White-cheeked barbet and rose-ringed parakeet being recorded there shows this is not just about shade for pedestrians or nice-looking roads,but actual biodiversity inside city .
Sneha Nandihal from ICI has expressed group’s commitment to advocating for preservation of these natural resources . ICI now plans to meet Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE) and place their findings before them .
At same time,proposed corridor is among multiple projects endorsed by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to reduce traffic congestion in Bengaluru . So yes,traffic problem is real,but if environmental assessment itself is being questioned by residents,then what exactly are we building over…and at what cost…
