There is a reason for nature lovers to smile as Maharashtra Government has dropped the idea of constructing a road through the Bharatvan. The decision was taken on Friday during the meeting of top Government officials chaired by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Common citizens too had opposed the move to cut through the Bharatvan and for nearly eleven months they kept up their resistance to plan mooted by Maha Metro to construct a road through the forest land owned by Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV). Had the plan gone as per desires of planners then over 500 full grown trees would needed to be chopped. In a way it is a big victory for the Nagpurian whose combined action saved the Bharatvan, the prestine forest, and ‘The Hitavada’ is happy to have joined their crusade.

The meeting convened by Gadkari proved fruitful for the citizens who were appalled at the thought of destroying of the prestine forest as the road would have slowly choked other trees in the area. People of all ages, especially children participated in the movement to save Bharatvan.

Officials present at the meeting suggested alternative to Bharatvan and after long discussion Abhijeet Bangar, Municipal Commissioner, mooted laying a through road ahead of Ravi Nagar Square. It would necessitate cutting through two grounds surrounded by the Government Quarters in Ravi

Nagar Colony. This formula is a win win situation as there is no need for cutting down any tree for laying the road.

The Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court is already hearing the challenge to Maha Metro’s proposal to construct a road through Bharatvan. Now, all the agencies are going to submit revised proposal for road before the court through Public Works Department (PWD). If High Court accepts the alternative proposal then work on the project would start immediately.

It was in 2003 or 2004 the then Government had prepared Development Plan (DP) marking a road through Bharatvan. The plan however did not move further for one or the other reason. The present Government picked up the thread from that plan nearly a year ago and accordingly the discussion began on cutting through the pristine area. A 80 metre wide road was proposed to connect Bharat Nagar (Amravati Road) with Telangkhedi road. Road was to be constructed by Public Works Department (PWD) which awarded the work to Nagpur Metro. However, environmentalists opposed the plan and a sustained campaign got underway as citizens joined the movement to oppose move to cut through Bharatvan. As people joined the campaign, every Sunday human chain used to be formed. Paryavaran Prerna, the organisation acts as environment saviour joined the movement aggressively.

Sharad Paliwal, Ansuya Kale Chhabrani and others led the crusade. The number of citizens started joining the movement in large number. Jaideep Das, an environmentalist wrote letters to all the authorities including President of India, Prime Minister and others. Government moved further and published an advertisement inviting objections to the project. A good number of people registered their objections to the project.

The letters that were sent by Das picked up by High Court and filed suo motto petition objecting the damage to flora and fauna. Citizens of Nagpur too tried to create an awareness regarding environment conservation while trying to save the trees of Bharatvan from being cut off for an unnecessary road. The movement was unique because the citizens conducted various environment-friendly projects and programme to showcase the importance of such green heritage of the city.

Under the shade of trees many of which are nearly 100 years old while hearing the chirping of birds and the distant calls of the peacocks right in the heart of the city is a natural luxury unheard of today in most cities.

Everybody felt a deep pain. It was heart rending as Nagpur still has a few such patches like the one at Bharatvan. Citizens questioned the need for such wastage of money when everyone opposed it. The results would be a permanent damage to the environment whose fury is clearly visible this summer in the form of water shortage and rising temperatures. Friday meeting made everybody heave a sigh of relief.