Retain ‘heritage trees’ at Metro shed site in Aarey, says Mumbai corporation panel

The committee report also suggests that any tree above 50 feet in height should be retained

MUMBAI: Expert members of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s tree authority surveyed Aarey Colony and submitted in their report to the civic body that the site of the Metro 3 car depot in Aarey Colony is home to trees that should be retained as “unique/ heritage trees”. The report also suggests that any tree above 50 feet in height should be retained.

Three expert members of the tree authority visited the proposed site for the car depot on August 10. They formally submitted their observations to the BMC last week. The final decision on cutting or replanting 2,700 trees at Aarey Colony, to make way for the car depot, is likely to be taken at the tree authority’s meeting on Wednesday.

In the report, which HT has a copy of, the experts observed, “Terminalia, bellerica/beheda trees found on the site seem very old and need to be retained as a unique/ heritage trees as they are presently harbouring orchids.” Further, the report reads, “Adensonia digitata tree is recommended for cutting in the inventory, but it is [a] long-living tree and responds well to transplanting, hence can be put under transplanting category. All trees along the Aarey-Powai road, along the boundary wall that are not falling in the construction area and are very tall may be retained. These trees are acting as a green belt.”

With reference to the area where the car shed is planned, the experts said, “There are many indigenous trees in a construction area that also can be preserved by either retaining or transplanting. Any tree above 50 feet height requires to be retained.”

Dr Shashirekha Sureshkumar, a botanist from Mithibai College and member of tree authority, along with Dr Chandrakant Salunkhe, another expert member of the tree committee, confirmed the above.

Corporators from Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, who are members of the tree authority, visited the site of the proposed car shed on Tuesday. While the BJP supported the cutting and transplanting of trees on the ground that it is necessary for development, other parties maintained their stand of not supporting the cutting of around 2,700 trees for the Metro-3 shed.

The cutting and transplanting of trees in Aarey to construct a car depot for the Colaba-Seepz Metro-3 has been a controversial issue since 2015 when an expert committee formed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis identified three sites in Kanjurmarg, Backbay Reclamation and Aarey Colony as viable options for Metrorelated construction.

Environmental activist Stalin D, who had filed a petition against the car depot construction in Aarey, said, “The state should have anticipated our opposition and taken a firm decision on moving out of Aarey instead of wasting five years.” Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which is constructing Metro-3, did not comment on the issue.

THE CUTTING AND TRANSPLANTING OF TREES IN AAREY TO CONSTRUCT A CAR DEPOT FOR THE COLABASEEPZ METRO-3 HAS BEEN A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE SINCE 2015