Dadar residents object to felling three trees for Tilak Bridge expansion

Dadar residents launched an online petition opposing the felling of three trees for the Tilak Bridge extension, citing their importance amid heavy traffic.

MUMBAI: The residents of Dadar started an online petition on Monday to register objections against the felling of three trees on the footpath of Lokmanya Tilak Road in Dadar East for the extension of the Tilak Bridge. The bridge is an essential connector between Dadar East and West.

Mumbai, India - February 07, 2023: Aerial view of Tilak Brigde, at Dadar, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, February 07, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

On April 7, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) put up notices on the trees stating that the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) has proposed to transplant the trees on Tilak Road for the redevelopment of Tilak Bridge Phase 2.

The F North Citizens’ Federation, in a letter to the Superintendent of Garden, Jitendra Pardeshi, said the three trees are out of the railways’ jurisdiction as they are not located near the bridge.

“The notices did not have any contact or email details where objections can be registered. There is excessive heat on the road as there is always heavy traffic here, so, we need trees,”said Nikhil Desai.

The three trees are next to a footpath on the Dadar TT circle. “There is a Sir Bhalchandra road adjoining the circle, and the Tilak bridge starts after crossing that road. There is a 100-metre distance between the footpath and the bridge. There is no way the trees would be near the project,” said Nikhil Desai, a resident.

GR Vora, another resident and member of the resident’s association, said the petition has received 30 objections so far and they were waiting for more. “When we went to the ward office, the officer said that it is a railways project, and not up to them,” she said.

The BMC official was not available for comment.

The nearly 100-year-old Tilak bridge is undergoing redevelopment and expansion from a two-by-two lane to a three-by-three lane. The work is being undertaken phase-wise.