The felling of a large number of trees around Anna Maaligai, the seat of Madurai Corporation, has caused concern among residents.
According to a senior official of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), trees had to be cut to facilitate construction of a 7.3-km-long elevated highway on New Natham Road. The elevated corridor will have three arms in the city. The NHAI has acquired a 300-metre-long stretch along Dr. Ambedkar Road, on which Anna Maaligai is located, for providing an arm for the proposed highway. Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan said the NHAI had got a no objection certificate for felling over 900 trees along the stretch in Madurai district. “A portion of land on Anna Maaligai complex has already been acquired and Madurai Corporation’s compound wall will be shifted,” he said.
Corporation land measuring one metre to 10 metres along the road has been acquired for around 150 metres.
