India, July 22 -- Bengaluru's Metro expansion plans have sparked intense debate over the impact on the city's greenery, but new figures indicate the loss of trees may not be as severe as once anticipated. Officials with the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) announced on Monday that, after a detailed internal review, approximately 6,800 trees are expected to be affected by the Phase 3 construction, down significantly from the earlier projection of 11,000, The Times of India reported.

Kanakaraj MH, BMRCL's assistant environment engineer, spoke to the publication and clarified that not every tree identified will necessarily be removed. He explained that some trees will be cut down, others will be transplanted to new locations, an...