Mysuru: Road development projects in Mysuru have come under environmental scrutiny after officials sought permission to clear at least 783 trees for 10 projects being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department’s National Highways division.
Environmentalists have questioned the timing of the applications, pointing out that permissions from the Forest Department were sought only after Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) had been approved, tenders finalised, work orders issued and, in some cases, construction had already begun.
The issue has renewed calls for a change in the procedure so that tree conservation is considered during the design stage itself rather than after a road project has been finalised.
Forest Department receives applications after work begins
Of the 783 trees for which clearance was sought, the PWD NH Mysuru sub-division applied for permission to remove 105 trees for three projects, while NHAI officials sought permission for 678 trees across seven projects.
Environmentalists have argued that inviting public objections after the project design has already been finalised leaves limited scope for incorporating alternative suggestions.
Under the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976, as amended in 2014, the Forest Department is required to invite objections from the public when permission is sought to remove more than 50 trees.
Officials reportedly received 3,018 responses through email and one written representation during one such process. An online petition opposing tree clearance also reportedly attracted around 75,000 signatures.
However, by the time the public consultation was conducted, project approvals and construction processes had already progressed significantly.
NHAI project at Mysuru Ring Road junction
One of the cases that has attracted attention involves additional works on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, NH-275, at the Mysuru Ring Road junction.
NHAI officials sought permission to clear 350 trees for the additional works in April, while construction had reportedly begun in January.
Experts who inspected the location along with Forest Department and NHAI officials suggested marginal changes to the design that could have helped save around 20 to 30 trees in parks.
NHAI officials, however, reportedly said that changes could not be made at that stage because the project had already received the required approvals.
The Mysuru territorial division’s Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), K Paramesha, subsequently granted permission on July 22 for the project, with provisions to save seven trees, translocate 278 trees at parks in Bannimantap and fell 65 trees at the Ring Road junction.
Environmental groups have since approached the NHAI Project Director, who has reportedly assured them that a meeting would be held to explore whether additional trees could still be saved.
PWD seeks permission for 105 trees
The PWD NH Mysuru sub-division has sought permission to clear 105 trees for three projects.
These include 35 trees for a four-lane underpass or railway underbridge at Railway Level Crossing-1 near the Kukkarahalli Lake junction.
Another 22 trees have been proposed for clearance to construct a Road Under Bridge at Level Crossing-5 on the Mysuru-KRS Road near the Mysuru Ring Road junction in Metagalli.
The third proposal involves the removal of 48 neem trees from the median of NH-275 at the Mysuru Ring Road for a flyover aimed at improving the black spot at Devalapura Cross junction.
The Forest Department has not yet granted permission for the 48 neem trees. However, work on the project has reportedly already commenced.
Two public hearings concerning the proposal remained inconclusive.
NHAI proposals cover 678 trees
Apart from the 350-tree proposal at the Mysuru Ring Road junction, NHAI has sought permission for the clearance of another 328 trees for seven projects.
The proposals include the clearance of 15 trees for works on the Mysuru-Nanjangud NH-766 near TVS Circle, Kadakola and Mandakalli Road.
Another 11 trees have been proposed for clearance at TVS Circle, Kadakola.
The NHAI has also sought permission to clear 196 trees along the Kerala border-Kollegal road, including 26 trees associated with Varuna Circle works.
The other proposals include the removal of 110 trees for the Duddagere-Puttegowdanahundi road work and 60 trees for the MC Hundi road work.
Applications have also been submitted for the clearance of 32 trees near the Mysuru-Nanjangud Road signal close to APMC gates A and B, as well as 78 trees on the Mysuru-T Narasipura Road section of NH-766.
Environmentalists seek changes before DPR stage
Environmentalists have argued that the current procedure leaves the Forest Department with limited room to influence road design.
They want government agencies undertaking road projects to consult Forest Department officials and environmental experts before the DPR is approved.
Their argument is that incorporating suggestions during the initial design stage could allow engineers to make minor changes in alignment, junction design or road width and thereby save a larger number of mature trees.
Retired Major General Sudhir Vombatkere criticised what he described as a long-standing practice in which environmental considerations receive lower priority than development projects.
Environment expert Ravi Bale said project proponents should establish greater trust with environmental authorities and the public by sharing alternative designs, project drawings, anticipated environmental impacts, mitigation measures, budgets and expected benefits during the pre-design stage.
According to him, such consultations would give authorities an opportunity to minimise environmental and social impacts before the design becomes difficult to alter.
NHAI cites road safety and design standards
NHAI officials, however, have maintained that road projects are required to follow Indian Roads Congress standards, with public convenience and road safety among the primary considerations.
Officials said environmental clearance is sought for projects falling within forests and other sensitive zones.
For other road projects, they said the project is confirmed following the DPR, tender process and issuance of a work order. Permission for tree clearance from the Forest Department can then be sought based on the final requirements.
NHAI officials also said efforts are made to minimise tree loss wherever possible.
As an example, they pointed out that the number of trees proposed to be removed for the underpass or railway underbridge at Railway Level Crossing-1 near the Kukkarahalli Lake junction had been reduced from 86 to 33.
Officials have also raised concerns that delays in obtaining tree-clearance permissions can affect project schedules and increase costs.
Forest Department seeks stricter guidelines
DCF K Paramesha said he would write to senior officials seeking stricter guidelines requiring tree-clearance permissions to be considered before the DPR is approved.
The proposed change would apply to projects in all areas and would allow tree-related concerns to be examined before the design is finalised.
Parashuramegowda of Parisarakkaagi Naavu said the organisation would also submit a formal representation to higher authorities seeking such a change.
Bhamy V Shenoy, founding working president of Mangaluru-based MGP, said projects involving tree felling should account for the value of trees as part of the overall investment cost.
Forest Department records show wider demand
The issue is not limited to major highway projects.
During 2025-26, the Forest Department permitted the clearance of 559 trees in Mysuru district for various developmental projects.
During the same period, it received 85 applications from members of the public seeking permission to clear 3,115 trees, of which permission was granted for 154 trees.
The figures indicate the scale of demand for tree clearance and the need for a systematic mechanism to examine alternatives before permissions are granted.
The latest controversy has therefore brought attention to a wider question surrounding infrastructure development: whether environmental considerations should be incorporated at the beginning of a project rather than addressed after construction plans have been finalised.
A pre-DPR consultation mechanism involving the Forest Department, environmental experts, engineers and local communities could potentially identify alternatives before projects reach the tender and construction stages.
For Mysuru, where road expansion and infrastructure development are continuing, balancing improved connectivity with protection of mature trees is likely to remain an important challenge. A stricter early-stage clearance process could provide authorities with greater scope to protect trees while ensuring that essential infrastructure projects proceed without unnecessary delays.