The avenue trees have disappeared from our high ways. Some of the state high ways or single lane roads still have them for several kilometers at a stretch.
One gets a feeling of driving through archways on such roads, well protected from direct sunlight, under the canopy of rows of trees. They provide shelter for those who want to halt for a picnic meal. If it was the season of tamarind, children will have fun, plucking and eating. They provide safety for the travelers as the trees on both sides delineate the road well even at night. The night travel is easier on these roads as the trees diffuse the brightness of the high light beam of vehicles coming from the opposite side. We travel at lesser speed on these roads and are less accident prone.
One gets a feeling of driving through archways on such roads, well protected from direct sunlight, under the canopy of rows of trees. They provide shelter for those who want to halt for a picnic meal. If it was the season of tamarind, children will have fun, plucking and eating. They provide safety for the travelers as the trees on both sides delineate the road well even at night. The night travel is easier on these roads as the trees diffuse the brightness of the high light beam of vehicles coming from the opposite side. We travel at lesser speed on these roads and are less accident prone.
Anna and I watched the nature's exuberance of colours, with the evening sun casting its splendor on the trees, and we said to each other, 'even these trees will disappear at the occasion of the next road widening'.
There are several losses when we go aggressively into a development mode, with least thought to all that is changing permanently in the environment to our disadvantage, in the long run. I have a suspicion that the planning authorities are driving this without adequate balancing of priorities.
The emphasis should shift to creating opportunities for human development than just for infrastructural development!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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