Assam's green lungs bleed: NHAI axes 3,606 trees for flyovers and highways, reveals RTI reply

Guwahati: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has cut down 3,606 trees in Assam to construct flyovers and widen national highways since the BJP government came to power at the Centre.

According to a Right to Information (RTI) response, the NHAI felled 770 trees, including valuable species such as Krishnasura, Radhasura, and Rain trees, for the construction of standalone flyovers and vehicular underpasses (VUPs) on NH 31 in Assam since 2015.

In addition, NHAI has axed a total of 2,217 trees from 2015 to 2024 for the construction of six-lane flyovers at Boragaon, Gorchuk, Lokhra, and Basistha Junction, along with the six-laning of approaches on the Guwahati bypass. This project, which spans from Km 146 172 to Km 163 400 on the Guwahati bypass, is part of the larger Bharatmala Pariyojna and is being executed on an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) basis.

Moreover, NHAI is constructing six-lane standalone flyovers at Raha, Demow, Borghat, and Kathiatali junctions, along with a Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Jagiroad on NH 36 and NH 37 (New NH 27EW) under the Bharatmala Pariyojna. For this project, 345 trees have been felled, according to the NHAI's RTI response filed by journalist Kukil Saikia.

To address safety concerns, long-term measures are being implemented for four black spots at Tihu, Society Chowk, Changsari Madanpur, and Daboka under the RO Guwahati project in Assam. As part of this initiative, 162 trees were felled at Changsari and 112 trees were cut down at Society Chowk.

Interestingly, the NHAI has not provided data on tree felling for the widening of national highways from Goalpara to Guwahati and from Kuljan to Jonai in Dhemaji district. Reports suggest that more than 15,000 trees have been cut down for the expansion of National Highway 17 from Goalpara to Guwahati, and 3,000 trees for the expansion of NH 515 in Dhemaji.

These alarming figures have raised concerns among environmentalists and citizens alike about the impact on the state's green cover. While the development of infrastructure is crucial for a growing city, the heavy toll on the environment has prompted calls for stricter environmental impact assessments and compensatory afforestation measures. The loss of such a significant number of trees is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the state's ecology and air quality.

Adding to these concerns, Guwahati experienced its hottest day on record on May 25, with temperatures reaching 40.1°C, the highest since 1960. This record-breaking temperature occurred amid an unprecedented heatwave in the region.

The "World Air Quality Report 2023" by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring body ranked Guwahati as the world’s second most polluted city. The report linked the alarming rise in pollution, marked by a doubling of PM2.5 concentration from 2022 to 2023, to deforestation.

Extensive tree felling to accommodate infrastructure development, exacerbated by increasing temperatures and pollution, highlights the critical importance of balancing progress with environmental sustainability.