July 15: At least 15 trees, some of them more than 50 years old, have been chopped down on a stretch of Park Street to widen the road.

The trees stood on the 15ft-wide footpath opposite the South Park Street Cemetery. The widening project has ensured the footpath becomes narrow.

Metro found at least eight tree stumps in the 100m stretch near the Park Street-Loudon Street crossing today.

Many shopkeepers said civic workers had begun chopping down the trees last week.

"They mostly work late at a night. When we open our shops in the morning, the trees are gone," Anil Sharma, who has a shop on the stretch near the Park Street-Loudon Street crossing, said.

"I have seen some of the trees since I was a kid. Some were over 50 years old," he said.

A forest directorate official said two trees had to be planted for every tree felled in the city for a public project.

The forest official, who is in charge of giving permission for felling trees in the city, said he would have to go through the records to confirm if the civic body had sought permission for this project.

"Since today is a holiday, I can't say if they had sought permission," he said.

Ratan Dey, mayoral council member, roads, didn't take calls from Metro.

Soumitra Bhattacharya, director general, roads, said: "Call me on Monday."

The stretch will be 7-8ft wider once the project is complete, a civic official said. "A wider road will ensure smooth traffic flow."