Mumbai: Cutting of trees begin at Aarey Colony for Metro-3 line

Mumbai Metro’s Line-3 (Aqua Line) is a 33.5 km under-construction metro line with 27 stations connecting Cuffe Parade – Bandra Kurla Complex – Aarey Colony

The Mumbai Metropolitan Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) began felling additional trees in Aarey Colony’s Prajapurpada village on Tuesday to make way for a shunting neck for the Metro-3 train.

177 trees will be felled for creating a shunting area for the Metro-3 train (File Photo)

Hindustan Times was the first to report last week that the trees earmarked for cutting is a significant undercount. 177 trees will be felled for creating a shunting area for the Metro-3 train, of which 53 will be transplanted and 124 will be cut down permanently with the Supreme Court having cleared the way for the rail corporation.

Mumbai Metro’s Line-3 (Aqua Line) is a 33.5 km under-construction metro line with 27 stations connecting Cuffe Parade – Bandra Kurla Complex – Aarey Colony.

“Throughout the morning, we could hear the sound of electric saws at work behind the barricades set up by MMRCL. There was police bandobast (presence) not only in Prajapurpada but also at Picnic Point in Aarey, and even in the SEEPZ area near Sariput Nagar. My family has cared and lived off these trees for at least three generations. They have taken away a part of our identity,” said Kishan Bhoye, an Adivasi resident of Prajapurpada, who belongs to the Kokna tribe.

Over multiple visits to the project site (located at CTS No. 11) this month, HT observed more than two dozen wooden trees in the alignment of the MMRCL’s shunting neck for the Metro-3 train, which have not been numbered.

Environmentalists and Adivasis living near the project site say that the total number of “unnumbered” trees is between 90 and 100, which have not been given permission to be felled. These included at least three fig trees, one pipal, one mango tree, a mulberry tree and a coconut palm, among others.

HT did not record the numbers of non-wooden trees (such as papaya and banana) that do not fall under the definition of “tree” under the Maharashtra Tree Act, though multiple specimens of these were also felled by the MMRCL on Tuesday, according to Prajapur residents.

Amrita Bhattacharjee, one of the petitioners in ongoing proceedings before the Supreme Court, said, “It is a shame that our submissions were not considered by the apex Court. I raised a complaint about the undercounting of trees with the forest department and IIT-Bombay but got no response despite the urgency of the situation. Besides, this project site is a steep hill where JCB machines cannot reach, so there is a lot of apprehension that even the trees slotted for transplantation have been felled en masse.”

Sanjay Karhade, the media advisor, could not be reached for comment despite efforts.

Hundreds of people, including students, activists, and environmentalists have raised their voices, observed protests, and filed a petition in the Supreme Court over the cutting of the trees and the construction of Metro car shed in the ecologically sensitive Aarey Colony forest area. Since 2019, thousands of trees have been cut.