With concerns rising from all quarters over the removal of around 450 trees for taking out re-development of Qutab Golf Course at lado Sarai, the Delhi Development Authority has now decided to revisit the whole plan. For this, it has roped in expert architects from Australia who would give a detailed plan for redevelopment with minimum exploitation of green cover.
The move comes three days after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a notice to the city Government, the DDA and the Forest Department, saying, “Cutting down of the trees will have a serious impact on the environment and ecology of the area.” The exposed area to be developed for which chopping down of trees was made necessary for “public interest” accounts for 46 hectares of green land which is equivalent to 50 football grounds.
Keeping these in mind, DDA vice chairman Balvinder Kumar on Monday ordered officials to revisit the design of the redevelopment plan so as to ensure there is minimum requirement of shifting of tress. “For the purpose of revisiting the plan, golf architects from Australia M/s Kapoor & Associates having consortium with M/s Thomson Perrett Pty. ltd are also being consulted. It is expected that they will give their opinion within the next few weeks and the design will then be relooked to ensure least disturbance of the green area,” informed a DDA official.
The urban development agency has so far developed 5,050 hectares of green area which accounts for 60 per cent of green cover of the city. “It has been due to concerted efforts of the DDA to protect and preserve not only the green spread of the city but also the green and bio-heritage that Delhi is one of the greenest capital cities. Development imperatives requiring shifting of trees is done with utmost care and ensuring compulsory plantation. Every year during the rainy season, plantation is done all over Delhi by the DDA,” explained a DDA official.