69 trees to be felled for Ghatkopar ROB project in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A heritage peepal tree which had been majestically standing for over five decades close to Pantnagar in Gharkopar (East) was recently felled for the rebuilding of a road over-bridge (ROB) project connecting Ghatkopar east and west sides over the railway line, made for a sad sight for tree lovers.
It is all the more worrisome that a total 69 trees are to be cut for the ROB, which includes seven heritage trees (over 50 years of age) on this stretch which is from Shreyas cinema junction to Ghatkopar bus depot.
Three very old banyan trees in Ghatkopar (west) will be cut, although a few nature lovers are desperately trying to save them.
However, permission has been granted to the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) by the Maharashtra State Tree Authority during an earlier meeting on this issue.
The three banyan trees are numbered 97, 113 and 114, located on both sides of the road.
The assistant tree officer of BMC N ward office, Sharad Bagul, told TOI: " Since MRIDC is rebuilding the ROB on that stretch, the seven heritage trees and 62 other trees are to be removed from there. For the heritage peepal tree close to Laxminagar bus stop, Pantnagar, we had suggested that it should be transplanted instead of being cut; but the railway body opined that since it would be difficult to transplant such a big tree, they have agreed to plant a total 3915 trees in other city areas."
"We feel sad as to why this grand old peepal tree had to be killed in the name of development. The tree had witnessed how this area had changed over the decades, but now the tree has become a victim of `change'. The old banyan trees towards Ghatkopar (west) may be next in line to be cut," said a local eatery manager at Pantnagar.
Environmentalist of Conservation Action Trust (CAT), Debi Goenka, commented: "There is a special amendment in the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, with regards to heritage trees which are over 50 years old. Hence, I feel that efforts should still be made to save the remaining heritage trees and also other trees for this ROB project, by discussing the matter with the authorities, including BMC and MRIDC. It will be terrible if the heritage banyan trees on this site are also chopped."
Goenka added that while banyan is India's national tree, many women also worship this tree during special religious occasions by tying threads around its trunk for the wellbeing of their families. "The ROB rebuilding plan can be slightly tweaked or altered in order to save as many trees as possible, including the banyan trees. The local residents and communities must also come forward and voice their opinions in order to take objections to further cuttings," he added.
Another environmentalist, B N Kumar of NatConnect Foundation said: "While the citizens are invited to give their suggestions and objections whenever any tree cutting is to take place, many members of the public hardly get to know about it, and so they are not able to raise an objection. This is what happened with the peepal tree, which did not receive any objections from the people, simply because they did not know that it was due to be cut."
Activists have suggested that BMC should put up a prominent notice along with the date when a tree is to be cut, so that the citizens can prepare to object to the same. Not many read newspaper announcements or in the online BMC website on this issue.
Meanwhile, the work on the ROB project is steadily progressing, making the numbered trees still standing there highly vulnerable to the advancement of development.