Over 400 saplings of various plant varieties have been uprooted from the Gomti embankment, near Ambedkar Memorial, making way for walking tracks, paved with stones, and stone pedestals. The saplings were planted barely two months ago.

Official sources said the walking tracks and pedestals were being developed following orders from Chief Minister Mayawati who had visited Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Prateek Sthal a few weeks ago.

The chief minister wanted a walking track to be built along the embankment from Prateek Sthal to the railway line, which is about one kilometre behind the pink stone police outpost built for providing security to the memorial.

The Lucknow Development Authority and the Forest Department had jointly planted the saplings. The state government had planned to develop it into a green stretch after the Gomti Nagar Jankalyan Mahasamiti had challenged closure of the 30-metre wide road on the embankment.

The LDA had closed the road to develop Bhimrao Ambedkar Vihar and the police outpost, which cost the state exchequer over Rs 2.25 crore. “Recently, work started here. Development of pedestals and walking tracks will be completed within a month,” said a contractor at the project site.

But the LDA Vice-Chairman Mukesh Kumar Meshram said new saplings will be planted in the area.

“As the work is going on there, heavy vehicles have damaged the plants. After the work is completed, new saplings will be planted,” Meshram said.

Huge pieces of Dhaulapuri stones are dumped on the entire stretch and more than a hundred labourers have been engaged to cut and shape these pieces for making the walking tracks.

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