Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: In what can be called as the win of green activists, good sense seems to have prevailed on the GMDA (Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority) that, according to sources, has redesigned its DPR (Detailed Project Report) for the proposed bridge over the Brampaputra in Guwahati connecting the North bank and the South bank.
According to the earlier alignment of the proposed bridge, as many as 250 trees would have to be felled from Azar Pir Park to Kalipur along the river bank in Guwahati. The news of the tree felling stirred up hornet’s nest among the local populace who got into a huddle on November 10, 2019 and formed a citizens’ committee opposing the proposed felling of trees. On November 18, 2019 the local populace under the citizens’ committee staged a protest and raised the demand for changing the design of the proposed bridge so as to avoid the tree felling. Noted green activist Padmashree Jadav Payeng also took part in the protest and urged the authorities to redesign the bridge so as to protest the trees.
Meanwhile, according to the latest report a fresh DPR sparing the 259 trees has been prepared for the proposed bridge over the Brahmaputra. Sources in the State PWD that is going to execute the construction of the bridge have also confirmed the changes brought in the new DPR.