Protests were witnessed in Sector 17 as the Municipal Corporation chopped down 60 trees to enable the construction of the overbridge proposed in the area. Activists from NGOs embraced the trees to prevent these from being cut,three were rounded up by the police and later released. The plan to construct an overbridge from Taj to KC Theatre was approved recently. It was found that there was a need for chopping down 60 trees for the construction to take place. Permission for the same was sought from the UT Administration. The Adviser inspects the trees that are proposed to be cut and then gives permission. After the permission was received,protests were witnessed from the activists from different NGOs and residents. A few days back,the residents held a protest at the site,embraced trees and formed a human chain. Today at around 7 am,teams from the civic body arrived at the site with JCB machines and trucks. The activists who protested were then rounded off by the police. The three who were detained included Gaurav Chhabra,Ranbir Singh and Arshinder Kaur. Addressing a press conference later in the day Chhabra said that the activists had filed a writ in the Punjab and Haryana High Court that was to come up for hearing on Tuesday. The officials however went ahead and chopped off the trees. While it is being stated that the project was conceptualised by Le Corbusier,there are many other projects of Corbusier that have not been realised, he said. The activists claimed that the overbridge was not required in the area as the stretch of road where it is proposed to be built does not face traffic congestion. Arshvinder Kaur stated that while they were protesting peacefully,the police thrashed them and then rounded them off. An official of the civic body said that since the construction of the overbridge had to start,the trees were chopped off after seeking the requisite permission. As many as 180 saplings will be planted in place of the trees that have been cut, he added.
