Forest Dept barks up the right tree!

The construction company contracted by DMRC for the extension of Delhi Metro’s Red line till New Bus Stand in Ghaziabad has been fined with `1 lakh by the Forest Department. The penalty was levied on the construction company M/S GYT-TPl, a joint venture of Tata and Guangdong Yuantian Engineering Co. of China, for shifting a dozen green trees from outside Public Works Department (PWD) guesthouse to the boundary wall in Ghaziabad.

While confirming the imposition of fine, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Joga Singh said that GYT-TPl has uprooted 12 trees from alongside the road — to pave the way for service lane and erect pillars opposite PWD guesthouse — without any approval from the department. The company has made the required payment.

“Our construction company shifted 12 small trees planted alongside the boundary wall of the PWD Guest House. PWD told us that they had planted those trees themselves and hence the company shifted those plants from outside to the inside of the boundary wall of the guesthouse. Our company did not know the gravity of the crime as they simply thought that PWD owns the responsibility of their assets. So they shifted the plants from outside to inside the wall, and for that, they have been penalised. They have paid the penalty,” said Anuj Dayal, PRO of DMRC.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) extension project had already suffered a serious setback after the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) refused to issue the no objection certificate (NOC) to carry out any construction activities on the stretch of GT Road. Due to that, the DMRC is unable to start the work from Mohan Nagar to Meerut Road tri-junction before March 2016. The NOC is held up in want of completion of ROB on New link Road, which has to be transferred to NHAI in lieu of GT Road stretch from Mohan Nagar to Meerut T-point. Only after that happens, this 9.41 km long stretch containing eight Metro stations could be completed.