South Western Railway to Translocate, Transplant Trees to Complete Doubling Works

Hubballi: In a bid to promote clean, green environment, South Western Railway has translocated more than 35 trees to execute doubling works and translocation, transplant works will continue to save trees. Generally, railways cut down the trees grown near railway track to execute doubling works. However, in an attempt to protect green environment, the railways decided to translocate the trees and will continue with translocation until the doubling works get completed.

Devargudda is a crossing station at about 369 KMs from Bengaluru in Bengaluru-Hubballi route. Construction organisation of South Western Railway is executing doubling works in Tumakuru-Arsikere (95 kilometres) and Chikjajur-Hubballi (194 kilometres) sections in this route.  Devargudda is a two line station in Mysuru Division and on account of doubling; this station is to be developed into four line crossing station.

There are 46 trees of various varieties including, Nemalinare, Neem, Delbargia, Sisso, Pumgamia, Albizzia, lebbeck and others varying in size from 60 cm to 290 cm girth in proposed alignment of new lines. 

In normal course these trees are cut-down to complete the works.  However, keeping in view the vision of Indian Railways, “to promote green environment and green energy while making the Indian Railways a global leader in sustainable mass transports”, it was decided to transplant the trees. 

There are only a few agencies have master minded the art of translocation/transplantation of trees. After a deep search, an agency, Green Morning Horticulture Pvt. Ltd was found and agreed to execute the work at least possible cost ensuring the survival rate at 70-80%. Padmanabhan, Executive Engineer, Sharfuddin, Deputy Chief Engineer and Alok Tiwari, Chief Engineer of Construction are monitoring the translocation work.  

The work is being done under supervision of Horticulture experts who have transplanted many trees in past at various places. The process involves uprooting the trees with surrounding soil after duly protecting the roots, shifting to new location using crane, transplantation to required depth and further providing manure and fertilizers, pesticides and others.  After completion of transplantation work, regular watering is to be done for 6 months and horticulture experts have to visit to see the growth of transplanted trees. Railway is also planting trees alongside the tracks even up to Hubballi.