Cut one tree, but plant three: Tree Authority to NHAI on Navale bridge chowk work

PUNE The Tree Authority of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has given permission for trees to be cut for road-widening purposes, near the Navale bridge chowk

PUNE The Tree Authority of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has given permission for trees to be cut for road-widening purposes, near the Navale bridge chowk.

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The Katraj to Navale bridge stretch has been identified as being accident-prone, and with no proper service roads, accidents have been happening regularly.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has started to build service roads on the Katraj to Navale bridge chowk stretch, but 500 trees are to be cut for this purpose, for which NHAI had submitted a proposal to the PMC.

“On Tuesday a meeting was held of the tree authority and it was decided to give permission, but, at the same time NHAI has been instructed to create a green belt on both sides of the road. A 3:1 tree ratio has been given to them. So when three trees are planted, one tree can be cut,” said Shilpa Bhosale, PMC tree authority member.

Suhas Chitnis, director of the road project, said, “Now that we have got permission, the road widening will continue.”