Over 2,400 trees had been removed to make way for the Central Vista redevelopment projects so far, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister of State Kaushal Kishore told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The Minister’s reply comes just months after he told the Rajya Sabha on April 4 that 1,051 trees had been transplanted for the Central Vista projects, while answering a question by Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas.
Mr. Kishore’s written reply on Thursday to a question by Congress Lok Sabha MP T.N. Prathapan said “no tree has been cut in various projects under the Central Vista Development/Redevelopment Master Plan”. However, thousands of trees had been transplanted to other locations.
“Till date 2,466 trees have been transplanted at other locations. Due care is taken to keep the number of affected trees to absolute minimum and only those trees were transplanted from the site essentially needed for construction activity. Compensatory plantation of ten trees for one transplanted tree is being carried out at ECO Park, Badarpur. (sic),” the Minister’s reply stated.
The trees had been removed to make way for the construction of the new Parliament building, the revamp of Central Vista Avenue, the construction of the Common Central Secretariat and the Vice-President’s Enclave - which are all underway.
