Permission given to remove green cover for Metro III

After cutting down more than 1,000 trees in the city, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) will now chop nearly 100 mangroves from Dharavi and Bandra area. This comes after MMRCLgot the green light from Bombay High Court to remove the green cover for constructing two stations of the Metro III line.

A Division Bench presided over by Justice Vidyasagar Kanade and Justice Mahesh Sonak heard a notice of motion moved by MMRCL seeking permission to remove the mangroves. MMRCL had moved the Bench as it required HC’s nod to construct the Bandra-Kurla-Complex (BKC) and Dharavi stations.

The Bench allowed the motion after considering the undertaking filed by the MMRCL. The undertaking stated that the MMRCL would be replanting

the equal number of mangroves that would be removed from the BKC area.

While allowing the MMRCL’s motion, the Bench also asked the agency to be cautious of the transplantation/re-plantation method of the mangroves. Justice Kanade said, “We want you (MMRCL) to be cautious and use a proper method and you

have to ensure that no mangrove dies. It would be your duty to transplant/re-plant them properly.”

Making a reference to the huge hue and cry over the cutting down of trees, Justice Kanade said, “All this (cutting of trees and mangroves) could have been avoided had you considered all the aspects at the planning stage itself.”