3,200 trees face the axe, only 1,400 to be replanted

The city is set to lose 1,800 trees to infrastructure projects. Construction of a new water treatment plant at Bhandup, the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road and the skywalk at Vidyavihar will need 3,200 trees to be uprooted, 1,400 of which will be transplanted. HT political bureau reports.

The city is set to lose 1,800 trees to infrastructure projects. Construction of a new water treatment plant at Bhandup, the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road and the skywalk at Vidyavihar will need 3,200 trees to be uprooted, 1,400 of which will be transplanted.

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The civic Tree Authority Committee, on Monday, cleared 58 proposals asking for permission to cut trees for infrastructure projects.

“Most of the trees will be cut for the construction of a water treatment plant at Bhandup Complex. Some projects like road and nullah widening are also important,” said Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak. At the Bhandup Water Complex, 1,157 trees will be cut while 1,189 will be transplanted.

The construction of the second Master Balance Reservoir (MBR) is part of the Middle Vaitarna project, which will supply an extra 450 million litres of water a day (MLD) to Mumbai and will help store 130 million litres of water. The treatment plant, to be built at a cost of Rs 80 crore, can treat 1,000 MLD.

For the long-pending Santacruz- Chembur Link road, 100 trees will be axed while 87 will be replanted. The Vidyavihar skywalk will need 35 trees to be cut.

Avinash Kubal, a member of Tree Authority and deputy director of the Maharashtra Nature Park (Mahim), said: “The city’s water requirements are increasing and hence the project is a must .The treatment plant and MBR cannot be shifted from the location to prevent felling of trees, so there is no point in opposing the proposal.”