Central Vista: CPWD to transplant 1,838 trees for construction of three new buildings
New Delhi, May 26: The CPWD has decided to transplant 1,838 trees from the campus of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), which is proposed to be demolished for the construction of three new office buildings under the Central Vista redevelopment project.
The Central Public Works Department has invited bids according to which the agency concerned will have to transplant trees in 60 days and 365 days will be for the maintenance of the transplanted trees.
The CPWD said the entire project will be executed at an estimated cost of around Rs 1.86 crore.
Last month, the CPWD had invited bids for three new office buildings under the Common Central Secretariat along Rajpath at a cost of Rs 3,269 crore and Rs 139 crore was set aside for five year's maintenance.
These three new buildings will come on the plot where the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts is currently located.
According to the bids for the transplantation of trees, there are 2,219 trees (approximately) on plot number 137, out of which 1,838 trees (approximately) are to be transplanted.
There are 1,150 trees having girth up to 50 cm, which will be transplanted, the bids stated, adding that there are also 401 trees which have girth beyond 50 cm and up to 90 cm.
In bid documents, the CPWD said it is proposed to avoid cutting of trees to the maximum extent and instead transplant the affected trees, within the site or in the vicinity, in a phased manner.
The girth and height of the tree will be measured and recorded before the start of any activity, the CPWD said, adding that photographs of each tree before the start of the process of translocation will be submitted by the bidder. The tree will be geo-tagged before and after transplantation.
"Lifting of trees shall be carried out or supervised by a qualified and/or suitably experienced person and crane operator using a crane and supports. It shall be ensured that there is no damage to the soil ball or any scratching and splitting of the root system. The tree should be kept intact without injuries to its root system, trunk and crown," it stated.
The entire process of translocation will be video graphed and submitted fortnightly to the CPWD. Penalty of Rs 5,000 will be imposed if the agency fails to do so.
The agency will carry out a social audit and get certified "survival assessment report" at the end of each maintenance sub-period (quarterly) to ascertain survival rate.
The redevelopment of the Central Vista -- the nation's power corridor -- envisages a new parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3 km Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new prime minister''s residence and prime minister''s office, and a new vice president enclave.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
