632 trees to be pruned, cut for projects in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) tree authority on Monday approved cutting/trimming/transplantation of 632 trees. The proposal  has been pending for over a month. The authority also nominated 26  panel members for a period of five years after elections which were held in February.

Out of the 632 trees, proposals for 551 were kept on hold by the panel when it met on September 14. The proposals were held by the authority after members raised concern whether these trees actually required cutting/trimming. Following the objections, the members visited the sites where cutting/trimming of trees were proposed.

The sites included project sites of MMRDA (Sahar Elevated Road to be constructed between Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport and the Western Express Highway), Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd (MRVKCL) which plans to lay railway tracks on the harbour line from Oshiwara to Malad, BMC’s road department and private parties.

“The members had their set of concerns. After visiting the concerned sites these proposals were approved,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

Missing civic chief
Additional municipal commissioner (AMC) Rajiv Jalota chaired the tree authority meet filling in for civic chief Sitaram Kunte. While the civic chief can authorise an AMC or any other senior official to represent him at statutory body meetings, in case of tree authority meetings, he can’t authorise other officials to represent him.