CHENNAI: An estimated 19,000 trees are likely to be felled by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to build phase-3 of the Bengaluru-Chennai expressway connecting Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh and Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram.
An expert appraisal committee of the Union Environment Ministry recommended for an environment clearance in this regard. The 106 km-long expressway is proposed to pass through Mahimandalam reserved forest area, and the Arcot range in Vellore forest division. About 5.42 hectares of reserve forest land is proposed to be diverted for the project, for which a stage-1 (in principle) clearance has been obtained from State authorities.
