Mumbai: Civic nod to hack 200 trees for development projects

The tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday passed proposals to hack 200 trees and transplant 671 trees for various development projects across Mumbai.

The tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday passed proposals to hack 200 trees and transplant 671 trees for various development projects across Mumbai.

The tree authority had received 41 proposals for the felling of 239 trees and the transplantation of 797 trees for a slew of projects, most of which are residential. While a majority of the proposals were cleared, permission was not given for the felling of 39 trees and the transplantation of 126 trees for a redevelopment project in Bandra, as the code of conduct is in place in Bandra (East) for the assembly by-election.

A majority of the proposals were for the western suburbs, including areas such as Kandivli, Borivli, Bandra, Goregaon and Andheri. A proposal for transplant of 272 trees and felling of 38 trees was cleared for a redevelopment project in the S-ward, in Bhandup.

Trishna Vishwasrao, leader of the civic house and member of the authority, said, “The need to actually transplant the trees was discussed, as it should not just be on paper.”

She said the members also discussed the poor rate of survival of transplanted trees.

Vijay Hire, garden superintendent and tree officer, said, “All the proposals were passed, except for the one for a project in Bandra (East), because of the code of conduct.”