Mangaluru: A peepal tree, estimated to be over 200 years old located on Bunts Hostel Road, was translocated by Mangaluru City Corporation on december 9, Sunday.

MCC officials had begun the process of chopping the tree, to widen the road from Bunts Hostel to PVS junction, on the night of December 7 itself.

However, Hindu organisations’ leaders had prevented the MCC from felling the tree as it was “Amavasye” (New Moon day) and thus inauspicious.

After cutting the branches and performing the rituals, the tree was uprooted with the help of a crane. The tree was weighing around 40 tonnes.

Later, using a trailer it was shifted to a place identified near C V Nayak Hall, for replanting. The road was blocked in order to facilitate the work on translocation of the tree. The public stood transfixed watching the entire process of relocating the tree.

MCC Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer said, “The tree is said to be over 200 years old. This is one of the biggest tree that the MCC has translocated so far. The MCC will give priority to translocating the trees instead of felling it in the future.”

Kadri Corporator D K Ashok said, “The tree was relocated after conducting all the religious rituals.”