50 heritage trees saved with the support of 35,000 in our community!
No flyover on Sankey Road
ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ 50+ ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ಮರಗಳನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿ
Send your objections: Save the fate of more than 50 heritage trees!
The ‘Save the Trees of Sankey Road’ campaign taught us the importance of showing up in numbers, making our voice heard and the strength we hold within our communities.
We started the campaign in collaboration with the Citizens For Sankey to save 50 heritage trees on Sankey Road that would have otherwise been cut for no good reason. The construction of a flyover on the road required the removal of these trees and would have also led to the removal of the footpaths that residents love to walk on. The residents were neither consulted nor provided with any information on the development of the project, which goes against what is mandated by the municipality.
In a city, it is essential that we preserve the pockets where families and individuals can thrive, spend their time in leisure, and connect with nature. Removal of the heritage trees and the pedestrian space these trees provided would have eradicated all of that for the residents here.
Campaign Launch – January 9th 2023
After the campaign was launched, within just the first week, we received the support of over 4000 people who signed our petition. We knew the campaign resonated with everyone who loved the green cover of Bangalore; and by the end of January, over 2000 children wrote to CM ri. Basawraj Bommai, urging his government to stop the construction of the proposed Sankey flyover.
The children also tied red hearts around the trees to show their solidarity.
We held a silent walk to protest the cutting of the trees, in which over 200 citizens participated. Children, adults, community members of all ages and other NGOs donned in back walked around the Sankey Tank. The walk was filled with stories and conversations that further solidified why the trees matter and how important they are to everyone in the community.
January 31st, 2023
The walk was followed by a panel discussion organised by Citizens for Sankey Malleshwaram that included 200+ residents of Vyalikaval, Malleswaram and Sadashivnagar to discuss the much-criticised Sankey Flyover Plan.
To further push for change, we reached out to our community to show the decision makers commissioner, Mr. Tushar Girinath, the Malleswaram Commissioner Dr. Deepak and the local MLA, Mr. Ashwath Narayan that it was not just one or two citizens, but thousands who wanted to save the trees of Sankey Road. We emailed asking for everyone to call and leave messages to the decision-makers.
Milestone – 1st March 2023
Citizens for Sankey submitted a letter asking tender to be stopped and the file to be withdrawn from the DCF office. This request was promptly responded to by BBMP Commissioner Mr. Tushar Girinath who directed his file to be withdrawn from the DCF office.
The win we saw with this campaign is a testament to the resilience and teamwork of our community who came together time and again, when we reached out to them.
Our work is supported by community members like you, and we hope to continue working on issues that matter most to you and our environment. Please do consider becoming a member to help us keep going.