DMRC redesigns Phase-4 plan to save 69 trees on Janakpuri-RK Ashram line

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has redesigned its Phase-4 construction plan to save 69 trees on the Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg Corridor, officials said on Monday.

They said that permission was received for felling overall 15,508 trees across Delhi for this phase, and approval was awaited for cutting 71 more on the Majlis Park–Maujpur Corridor.

"The DMRC has redesigned its construction plans to avoid the felling of 69 trees on the Janakpuri West to RK Ashram Marg corridor. Earlier, permission was sought for these trees as well.

"For Phase-4 works overall, permission has been received for the cutting of 15,508 trees across Delhi. Out of these, 5,003 trees have been cut and over 7,000 have been transplanted," the official stated.

The DMRC makes provisions for the plantation of 10 trees for each tree cut or transplanted for construction. All efforts are made to either avoid areas with trees while planning the alignment or transplantation, they said.

However, delays in receiving tree felling permissions have also led to delays on all the three priority corridors of Phase 4, they added.

The work in this phase began in December 2019 and was hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DMRC is undertaking construction work on 65.2 km spanning 45 stations under the project's three priority corridors: Janakpuri West-RK Ashram Marg (28.92 km), Majlis Park-Maujpur (12.55 km), which are extensions of the already operational Magenta Line and Pink Line; and the Aerocity-Tughlakabad (23.62 km) Corridor that is being built as 'Silver Line', connecting the operational Violet Line and Airport Line from the respective ends.

According to government figures, the DMRC cut down 13,858 trees and transplanted 3,584 during the construction of Phase 1, which commenced in 1998 and concluded in 2005. The 65-kilometre-long rail network comprised 59 stations.

In Phase 2, carried out between 2005 and 2011, the DMRC axed 17,997 trees and transplanted 3,052 trees. The Phase 2 had 89 stations across 125 km.

In Phase 3, which took nine years to complete from 2011, the DMRC cut down 11,872 trees and transplanted 506. Phase 3 involved the development of a 160-km-long rail network comprising 109 stations.