Govt to green panel: No trees will be felled at Pragati Maidan

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday assured the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that there would be no felling of trees without permission for carrying out redevelopment work at Pragati Maidan exhibition ground.

The government told the green panel that cutting of trees would be carried out only after sanction was received from the competent authorities.

An RTI query in July 2017 had revealed that Delhi’s forest department had granted permission to cut more than 1,700 trees for redeveloping Pragati Maidan.

The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) is planning to transform Pragati Maidan into a world-class convention centre and the trees were being cut to clear land so as to develop the planned integrated exhibition-cum-convention-centre at the complex.

The Rs 2,254 crore redevelopment project was approved by the centre in January, 2017. Work has already started and several structures such as the iconic Hall of Nations have been demolished.

“The counsel appearing for the Delhi government submits that there shall be no tree cutting in the said area without permission of the tree officer, South division, Tughlakabad. He also submitted that the respondent number 1 (govt) shall remain bound by this submission,” the bench, headed by acting chairperson justice U.D. Salvi, said.

The NGT was hearing a plea filed by National Sports Club of India alleging that the government had recklessly cut trees for the redevelopment work.

The plan includes interventions to ease traffic around Pragati Maidan, including a six-lane divided tunnel linking Mathura Road and Ring Road across Pragati Maidan and making Mathura Road signal free through U-turns/subways at necessary intersections for better access to the complex.

The exhibition-cum-convention complex will have a basement parking of 4,800 vehicles.