The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) tree authority on Friday granted approval for a proposal to cut and transplant a total of 1,992 trees to facilitate the proposed Mumbai Coastal Road project connecting Versova to Bhayander. Civic officials confirmed that out of the 1,992 trees affected, 726 will be cut down, while 1,266 will be transplanted onto a 3.5-acre plot owned by the BMC hydraulic engineering department in Powai.
Compensatory Plantation Plan
The civic body has committed to compensatory plantation of 20,330 trees across a 15-hectare area in Panvel. A civic official stated, “The proposed coastal road project has been divided into six packages. The trees affected are those coming in the way of the project alignment, where work is set to commence soon. Not all trees impacted by the project have been accounted for in this proposal. We have allocated Rs 12 crore to the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), which will undertake the plantation and maintain the trees for a period of seven years.”
Concerns Raised by Tree Authority Member
Tree authority member and corporator Pramod Sawant expressed reservations, saying, “Development is necessary, but we must ensure that the least number of trees are cut. What is the point of compensatory planting in Panvel? Look at the rising temperatures in the city.” He emphasized the need to minimize tree loss within Mumbai itself.
Suggestions from BJP Leader
During the meeting, BJP leader of the house in BMC, Ganesh Khankar, proposed that each of the approximately 45,000 housing societies in Mumbai should be encouraged to plant at least one tree. This suggestion aimed to increase green cover within the city limits.
Citizen Groups Protest
Earlier, citizen groups had protested the proposal, particularly regarding the felling of about 137 trees within the Nana Nani Park at Versova. They also highlighted the potential impact on over 45,000 mangrove trees, pointing out that a significant portion of mangrove ecosystem destruction is linked to the design of interchange structures for the project.
