Road project forces relocation of sacred peepal tree in HP’s Bilaspur

To make way for a four-lane project in the area, the district administration in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur on Tuesday relocated a sacred peepal tree from Brahmpukhar to Jabbal, in tune with the authority's efforts to ensure the safety of ancient trees associated with people's religious and cultural sentiments, officials said.

The peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) located in Brahmpukhar came in the way of the Shimla-Mataur four-lane project, and because it could not be uprooted due to the religious beliefs people attach to it, it was decided to relocate the tree to Jabbal near Markand in the same district.

The transportation work was carried out with technical support from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the supervision of the forest department, the officials said.

Special attention was given to protect the roots and trunks of the tree so that its chances of survival and growth could be ensured during the relocation exercise, they said.

Bilaspur Sadar SDM Rajdeep Singh said that along with development works, protecting the environment and respecting religious beliefs remain the priority of the administration.

“The successful relocation of the sacred tree has not only preserved the emotional and cultural heritage of the area, but also proved that modern construction work and environment protection can go hand in hand,” Singh said.