While a maximum of 114 trees needs to be felled for expansion of railway line at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Kurla, 103 trees need to be removed and 279 transplanted for the widening and construction of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road. (Representational)

The BMC has proposed to fell and transplant 1,961 trees to execute development projects at 19 sites across Mumbai. A proposal in this regard is set to be tabled before the civic body’s Tree Authority for approval.

Development projects at 19 sites, including Metro-related works, construction of buildings and flyovers as well as expansion of railway lines, require tree felling and transplantation. As per the proposal, there are 3,015 trees across the 19 sites, of which 803 trees are proposed to be felled and 1,158 to be transplanted.

While a maximum of 114 trees needs to be felled for expansion of railway line at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Kurla, 103 trees need to be removed and 279 transplanted for the widening and construction of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road.

Moreover, 96 trees will have to be felled for road widening in Govandi while 65 trees have to be felled and 51 transplanted for line Metro 2B (DN Nagar- Bandra-Mankhurd). For Metro line 6 (Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg), 35 trees are proposed to be felled and 169 more trees transplanted.

In a public notice dated June 9 issued in newspapers, BMC has sought suggestions and objections to the proposed move from residents by June 19 on email ID sg.gardens@mcgm.gov.

Environmentalists alleged that BMC is conveniently hiding behind the lockdown. Activist Zoru Bhathena said, “BMC can’t use the lockdown to hide the removal of nearly 2,000 trees. Many people did not receive newspapers during the lockdown period. How will people come to know about the public notice in the newspapers? Two days ago, a friend saw the notice stuck on a tree at Metro 6 site in Versova and hence, we checked.”

Garden department officials said that no hearing will be held on the suggestions and objections received from the residents. “Since the date is already over, whatever suggestions and objections have come from the residents will be added in the proposal. It will be tabled before the Tree Authority and the members will take a call. However, there is no clarity on the next meeting of the Tree Authority,” said a senior official.

Officials said in last four months, not a single meeting of the Tree Authority has been held due to lockdown. The BMC was to conduct a meeting on July 7, but it was cancelled after BJP corporators objected as the agenda included three projects in connection to which members had not made any site visit.