Nagpur News
Administration Translocates 60 Trees for Road Widening on Besa-Pipla Road

In an effort to widen the road from Besa Square to Pipla Village, the administration of the Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat is relocating approximately 60 full-grown trees to new locations. This initiative is part of the rapid development occurring in the Besa and Beltarodi areas, which have seen increased traffic due to population growth. The road is being expanded from Besa T-Point to Besa Square and extending to Pipla Village, with plans to construct a 70-foot wide cement road along this stretch.According to Bharat Nandanwar, CO of Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat,
“The widening of the road is necessary due to the significant population increase in the Besa-Pipla area. With assistance from CSIR-NEERI, we are transplanting the trees to open plots near Pipla Village.”While the translocation process has commenced, local green activists express concerns regarding its efficacy. Anasuya Kale Chhabrani, a green activist, stated, “Translocation of trees has largely failed in Nagpur, except for some species like Banyan trees that can survive the process. Numerous translocation projects have been attempted by government administrations, but many have not succeeded.” She further noted that translocation is a costly endeavor, often executed with limited techniques.
Dr. Vilas Yeole, a scientist with CSIR-NEERI and the project leader, indicated that the survival rate of translocated trees in India is only 60-65%. He explained, “The process requires a significant amount of water. We carefully uproot trees to minimize root damage and must monitor for fungal growth at the new location. Translocated trees require five years of maintenance, and our team will care for them for the next 60 days until they start sprouting.”Previously, the Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat translocated 70 trees for another road construction project just a month ago. However, activists question the wisdom of spending public funds on a process with such a low success rate in Nagpur. Stay tuned for more on it.