66/11 KV high-tension power line: PWD proposes to chop 175 trees at Dattagalli

Mysuru: The cool, tree-lined streets of Dattagalli 3rd Stage in Mysuru are facing an environmental threat as the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has sought permission to remove around 175 trees to facilitate the installation of a ‘high-tension’ power line.

The area already has one 66/11 KV line and one more 66/11 KV line has been planned to supply 15 MW of power. The project, set to run from the electricity supply unit at Ring Road Junction to H.D. Kote Road via Dattagalli Third Stage, 10th Cross, has sparked public outrage.

The KPTCL has proposed laying high-tension cables along multiple crossroads in Dattagalli’s Third Stage —an area that has grown into a lush green neighbourhood over the past three decades.

The route is home to numerous ‘Honge’ and ‘Silver Oak’ trees, many of which were planted and nurtured by residents since the layout’s formation and development. These trees line residential zones, school buildings, and community halls and their impending loss has triggered anxiety among locals.

Marked for the axe

Upon site inspection, KPTCL has already marked 175 trees for removal, ranging from small saplings to decades-old canopy trees. Even Neem trees planted by the Forest Department along Ring Road have not been spared, highlighting the extent of the planned felling.

Area residents, alarmed by the development, are gearing up to launch a campaign to protect their green cover. Social media is abuzz with messages condemning the move and several environmental groups have pledged support.

Activists are demanding that no trees be cut without a public consultation, warning of intense protests if the Forest Department and KPTCL proceed without transparency and community consent.

In a separate development, 23 trees have been marked for removal along the stretch from Ring Road to Jwalamukhi Tripurasundari Devi Temple in Uttanahalli. The Kadakola Town Panchayat has initiated a road widening project and requested permission from the Forest Department for tree removal.