A Rs 1.5 crore Madikeri road project near Raja Seat has come under objection from residents after plans to fell 12 decades-old cluster fig trees triggered demands for a redesign that retains the existing canopy. Forest officials have called a meeting following the complaints, while the nearly one-kilometre road project is being prepared for cementing and drainage works.
Residents submitted objections to Madikeri deputy conservator of forests Abhishek and deputy commissioner Somashekar, urging the authorities to adopt a sustainable engineering plan rather than remove the trees. The proposed works cover the road leading to Raja Seat, a prominent public and tourist location in the Kodagu district headquarters.
The trees were planted along the road in the late 1980s, according to resident and social activist Sampath Kumar. He said he had brought the saplings from Mandya when Bhaskar, an IAS officer, was serving as Kodagu deputy commissioner. Municipality office-bearers Maduraiah and the late Hobli subsequently planted the six-foot saplings along the road.
Residents said the cluster fig trees had provided shade for more than three decades and were the last remaining trees on what had once been a scenic road. They argued that their removal would affect the area’s natural character and ecology. Residents also said the canopy helped reduce the urban heat island effect, in which built-up surfaces retain heat and increase local temperatures.
The dispute has emerged after tenders were floated to auction the timber from the trees. Forest department officials said the project initially required the trees to be felled, but the department had asked the contractor to explore a design that could retain them.
Abhishek said no public hearing was held because fewer than 50 trees had been marked for felling. He said the contractor had been asked to avoid cutting the trees and carry out the development work while retaining the canopy. According to the official, the contractor responded that this was not possible, following which the tender for auctioning the logs was called.
The department’s position indicates that the immediate issue is not only the removal of the trees but also whether the road’s engineering design can be altered before construction advances. Residents have asked the authorities to examine alternatives that can accommodate the trees while providing the planned cement surface and drainage system.
Abhishek said another meeting would be arranged after residents submitted their objections. The meeting is expected to determine whether the proposed road works and tree-felling plan will be reconsidered, and whether a revised design can protect the existing canopy.
