Over 400 Trees Felled at Bollarum for Secunderabad Elevated Corridor

More than 400 trees have been felled at Bollarum in Secunderabad Cantonment by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority to make way for the construction of the elevated corridor along Rajiv Rahadari.

The tree removal was carried out to clear the alignment for an 18-kilometre elevated corridor extending from Gymkhana Grounds to the Outer Ring Road near Shamirpet. Tree clearing continues along the route as land acquisition proceeds and the road network from Shamirpet is widened for the infrastructure project.

According to authority sources, the Tree Protection Committee inspected and enumerated trees along the entire stretch prior to construction. The committee subsequently recommended specific trees for felling and translocation to facilitate the corridor works.

To compensate for the loss of greenery, officials stated that tree transplantation and sapling planting will be undertaken at a 1:4 ratio for every tree cut down. The development authority plans to arrange these compensatory plantings primarily within vacant spaces on defence establishment premises.

Heavy trucks and lorries were deployed to transport the felled trees away from the site at Bollarum.

The extensive felling has triggered concern among local residents and daily commuters. Locals noted that the trees had lined the stretch for decades, providing vital shade and cool breezes, particularly during severe summer months. Residents remarked that the removal of the canopy has left the area looking barren and eroded its British-era character, while environmentalists lamented the loss of the decades-old green cover to ongoing roadway expansion.