BMC explores new route for road through Powai forest; 122 trees may be saved

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering moving a proposed road out of the Pramod Mahajan Urban Forest in Powai, after residents opposed the plan on the grounds that around 122 trees could be affected

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering moving a proposed road out of the Pramod Mahajan Urban Forest in Powai, after residents opposed the plan on the grounds that around 122 trees could be affected. The civic body has asked its Development Plan (DP) department to examine whether the 13.40-metre road can instead be built through an adjoining private plot.

BMC explores new route for road through Powai forest; 122 trees may be saved. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

The proposal follows HT’s report on September 13, on the residents’ campaign against the road. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Avinash Dhakne visited the site after the report and directed the DP department at a meeting on Tuesday to study an alternative alignment.

More than 3,000 residents have submitted objections to the proposed road, while about 35 housing societies in Hiranandani Gardens have also approached the BMC, urging it to reconsider the alignment.

Around eight metres of the proposed road will cut through the six-acre Pramod Mahajan Garden. The rest of the alignment is planned through an adjoining plot owned by Supreme Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, which is developing a commercial Global Capability Centre.

The garden has around 15,000 trees belonging to 105 species, including Indian oak, mahogany, flame of the forest and baobab. It also supports several bird species. Preliminary records show that 122 trees fall along the proposed road alignment.

The road has been part of Mumbai’s DP since 2018. Officials said it was initially planned in connection with a reservation for around 4,000 Project Affected Persons (PAPs). A senior civic official said the road was also intended to handle traffic from the high-density development in the area.

“If the adjoining plot owner is willing to give the land, and it is technically feasible, shifting the road there would be much easier,” the official added.

The owner of the adjoining plot has already indicated that he is open to the idea. Vikram Singh, managing director of Supreme Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, said he had suggested shifting the road to the BMC in 2017 but had received no response.

“This is a very welcome move. I am willing to give up my plan to save the trees, but I expect direct connectivity towards Andheri and LBS Road for the traffic that the commercial development will generate,” he said.

Residents who have been opposing the road also welcomed the development. Sunita Gohrani, who has been leading the campaign, said the residents were happy that senior civic officials were looking at ways to protect the trees.