Mumbai Metro and JVLR works are likely to impact 1,719 trees

The BMC has asked citizens to give their suggestions and objections on the issue by Friday

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s tree authority has proposed to cut and transplant 1,719 trees to widen the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) as well as for the construction of Metro-2B (DN Nagar-Mandale) and Metro-4 (Wadala-Thane) corridors.

According to the proposal drafted by the civic body, 128 trees are to be cut, while 610 more are to be transplanted for the JVLR road-widening work. (HT FIle)

Of the 1,719 trees that would be affected for the projects, BMC has proposed to cut 552 trees, while the remaining 1,166 trees would be transplanted.

The BMC has asked citizens to give their suggestions and objections on the issue by Friday. “After receiving the suggestions and objections, the proposal will be tabled in the upcoming tree authority meeting, which will either be held this month or in January,” said a garden department official.

According to the proposal drafted by the civic body, 128 trees are to be cut, while 610 more are to be transplanted for the JVLR road-widening work. Currently, the BMC is also in the process of acquiring structures for the road-widening work. For the Metro-2B corridor, the civic body has proposed to cut 417 trees, transplant 388 trees and trim 38 trees at Chembur, Mandale and Kurla. The civic body has suggested to cut seven trees and transplant 169 more in Mulund for the construction of the Wadala-Thane corridor.

Bharatiya Janata Party corporator Abhijit Samant, who is a member of the tree authority, said, “We are not against tree-cutting for development, but we must ensure that the trees survive and are maintained after transplantation. This is very important, considering we are developing at the cost of trees.”

Earlier this month, the tree authority cleared a proposal to cut and transplant 1,234 trees for various infrastructure projects.

Earlier this month, the tree authority cleared a proposal to cut and transplant 1,234 trees for various infrastructure projects, including the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), the upcoming bridge at Mahalaxmi station and for the construction of Hancock Bridge at Sandhurst Road station.

Bharatiya Janata Party corporator Abhijit Samant, who is a member of the tree authority, said, “We are not against tree-cutting for development, but we must ensure that the trees survive and are maintained after their transplantation. This is very important, considering we are developing at the cost of trees.”