The Indian Express               09.05.2013

1,098 trees to make way for infrastructure projects

902 trees will be removed for a single project, Sion-Panvel Expressway.

BMC approved Wednesday felling/shifting of 1,098 trees to facilitate 28 infrastructure projects, including Sion-Panvel Expressway.

Of the 1,098 trees, 902 will be removed by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to expand Sion-Panvel Expressway. MSRDC will transplant 535 trees and replant 367.

Members of the BMC tree authority, however, fear the transplantation will remain on paper.

"While the proposal is to replant nearly the same number of trees that will be cut, there is nothing to check if government agencies will actually implement this," said nominated member Niranjan Shetty.

Activists were also sceptical of the success of transplantation, especially since a majority of trees in the proposed belt are mature.

"The exercise will cause a huge loss of public funds. Rs 25,000 is needed to transplant a tree but there is no guarantee of survival. Old and tall trees are most unlikely to survive and most trees in the belt are old and tall," said Shetty.

Municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte, in-charge of the civic tree authority, countered: "We have a mechanism in place to ensure the agency carries out mandated number of transplants and replants. The civic superintendent of gardens has decided areas where the trees will be shifted and we have already shortlisted trees that can withstand transplantation. The remaining will be replanted, as required."

Widening and improvement of Sion-Panvel Expressway is necessary for smooth flow of traffic once Navi Mumbai International Airport becomes operational. It is already one of the busiest routes in Mumbai Metropolitan Region connecting the city to national highway 4. The project is to expand the road from 12 to 16 lanes.