Citizens object to axing 10k trees for Metro 9 car shed

The Mira Bhainder Municipal Corporation (MBMC) issued a public notice March 12 regarding the proposal to axe 9,900 trees for the car depot in Uttan, inviting suggestions and objections from citizens within March 19

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) wants to axe nearly 10,000 trees in Bhayandar’s Uttan area to accommodate a car depot for the Metro 9 corridor, which connects Dahisar East with Mira Bhayandar. This is over four times the number of trees felled for a car depot for Metro 3 at Aarey Milk Colony in Goregaon. The proposal has elicited sharp rebuke from environmentalists, who accuse the government of concealing crucial information and endangering the region’s ecology.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) had axed 2,298 trees for the car depot at Aarey Colony (Hindustan Times)

The Mira Bhainder Municipal Corporation (MBMC) issued a public notice March 12 regarding the proposal to axe 9,900 trees for the car depot in Uttan, inviting suggestions and objections from citizens within March 19. The notice, issued in Marathi, says the trees are “an obstruction” in the construction of the car depot.

Environmentalists claimed the process of seeking suggestions was a farce. “The government only wants to complete a formality and irrespective of the objections, will proceed with destroying the green cover. We saw that at Aarey,” said Stalin Dayanand from the nonprofit Vanashakti.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) had axed 2,298 trees for the car depot at Aarey Colony following a protracted legal and on-ground battle with environmentalists and citizens.

The proposal to axe nearly 10,000 trees in Uttan is an environmental catastrophe that will have severe repercussions on the ecology of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region amid rising temperatures, urban heat islands and climate change threats, advocate Godfrey Pimenta from the nonprofit Watchdog Foundation noted in a letter to the MBMC.

“Such rampant tree cutting must not be permitted without exhausting all alternative options for land use,” the letter said.

The public notice regarding deforestation does not mention crucial details such as the site plan, position of trees to be felled, impact on local biodiversity and compensatory afforestation, the letter noted.

Mira Bhaiandar resident Jatin Dadhich also accused the government of withholding key information such as the age of the trees, the location for compensatory plantation and the agency and cost involved.

“Usually, the civic body uploads such public notices on its website. But in this case, that has not been done,” said Dadhich. “It is a deliberate ploy to hide details from people and get the ground cleared. Moreover, only seven days’ notice has been provided, which is too short given the scale of destruction involved.”

Till Wednesday, the last day for submitting responses to the proposal, the MBMC had received 68 communications from citizens, said Kavita Pimple, deputy municipal commissioner, MBMC. “A public hearing will be held soon, though we have not decided the date and venue yet, she said.

MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee did not respond to questions from HT about compensatory afforestation plans and the impact of three-felling on the environment.