Also, instead of overhead lines, the wires will run underground and the work will be conducted in a backlane near the green belt. Sub-Divisional Officer of the Tower Laying, Surveys and Constructions (TLSC) department Jaspal Singh said the work of underground wiring, likely to cost around Rs 5 crore, will be completed in about two months.

In January 2007, the TLSC department of the PSEB had erected towers in the green belt, following which, the residents had complained to the Forest department as well as the Ministry of Environment.

Newsline had highlighted the issue and subsequently, the TLSC was fined Rs 66 lakh for damaging the forest area. The residents had developed the green belt from a garbage dump many years ago, and re-developed the defaced park again.

Gagan Arora, a resident of Canal Avenue, said: “The PSEB had mercilessly razed our green belt when the work could have been done without inflicting any damage. We had spent our hard-earned money to keep the city clean and green. We are extremely happy that our green belt has been spared any more defacement.”