BMC recommends urgent protection of green patch threatened by commercial development; 84 trees identified as ‘heritage’.
In a major step toward urban ecological preservation, Bengaluru’s Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) has officially recommended that the Cantonment Railway Colony be designated a Biodiversity Heritage Site. This proposal follows growing alarm over the Rail Land Development Authority’s (RLDA) plan to cut down 368 trees in the area for a commercial development.
During a meeting with the BBMP’s Deputy Conservator of Forests on August 4, all five BMC members unanimously recommended that the site be protected under biodiversity heritage status. The BBMP is likely to soon escalate the committee’s recommendation to the Karnataka Biodiversity Board (KBB) for further action and official consideration.
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This green patch in the heart of Bengaluru is home to 84 trees classified as ‘heritage’, including banyan, peepal, jackfruit, honge, fig, and even rare species like sandalwood and kadamba. According to BMC officials, the site hosts a rich ecosystem of birds, butterflies, and native flora, making it a critical urban biodiversity zone.
The urgency to protect the site gained momentum following a BBMP notice earlier this year proposing the removal of trees for a redevelopment plan by RLDA. Public backlash and environmentalists’ concerns led to an on-ground inspection by BMC in April, resulting in a detailed report highlighting the ecological sensitivity of the site.
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“The project proposed by RLDA can be executed elsewhere, but this biodiversity, once lost, is irreplaceable,” said Akshay Heblikar, a member of the Bengaluru BMC. He added that the area should be officially recognised as an biodiversity heritage site, aligning with global and national conservation frameworks.
Earlier, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre had also directed KBB to begin assessing the colony for heritage site status and temporarily halt any permission to cut trees.
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