MMRC wants residents to ‘adopt’ trees cut to make way for Metro
CATCH SoBo residents cannot adopt them, however, due to lack of space
In an attempt to reduce environmental damage, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) wanted SoBo residents to adopt trees that were felled for the Metro III (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) line. A new trick, say residents who cannot go ahead with this innovative idea due to lack of space.
Recently, over 70 trees were felled at various sites in Churchgate, Vidhan Bhavan and Cuffe Parade area. MMRC had earlier told residents that they could step up for the trees that are being cut, take care of them and probably transplant them in their societies. The residents though willing for such an adoption expressed that it was not possible due to the space constraints.
MMRC claimed that they gave the residents an option considering their concerns but it did not materialise. A senior official from MMRC said, “We had offered the residents to transplant some of the trees in their vicinity like may be in their society or their building compound or garden area. But they were unable to do it. We understand their concerns so we took this initiative.”
The residents claimed that SoBo is a residential area which does not have space. Nina Verma, a resident of Churchgate, said, “There is no space to transplant trees where we live. We want to do it but we do not have space.”
While Ruchir Bansal, a resident of Cuffe Parade, said, “We would do it if we had space in our society. The trees that are felled are large and need space to grow properly. MMRC could have directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to adopt some of the trees but they never tried that option.”
MMRC has to transplant 1,727 trees and plant another 3,222 trees which they claim to do at Aarey Colony. “We are open to welcome any individual, group, society, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) or anybody who is willing to adopt trees, transplant them or take care of them. Citizens can approach us if they want to help,” the official added.