11 trees uprooted from Vashi for civic work, to be transplanted

NAVI MUMBAI: The Turbhe ward of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) uprooted 11 trees along the stretch from Arenja Corner at Sector 17 in Vashi to traffic police chowky near Kopri Bridge on Thursday.

The uprooting is a part of the annual replantation drive of the garden department of the civic body for carrying out various civic work such as road widening work, pipeline laying work or pre-monsoon drive for road concretisation.

Officials from the garden department said the uprooted trees would be replanted at the sewage treatment plants, Thane- Belapur road and at Turbhe landfill site.

Before uprooting the trees, the department conducts a survey which trees can be uprooted and suitable locations for replanting them.

Surveys will also be undertaken in nodes such as Vashi, Nerul, Belapur and Kopar Khairane.

“Once we are done with the survey, we submit it to the engineering department, which gives us the permission to go ahead with the uprooting and replantation process,” said Anil Gaikwad, in- charge of garden department of Turbhe ward.

“Replantation procedure takes good amount of time as we have to ensure that no damage is caused to trees,” added Gaikwad

Besides, around 15 to 20 trees are also being trimmed on the same stretch from Arenja Corner to Kopri Bridge in Turbhe as they have been obstructing the street lights.

“We have also begun trimming the trees as we got several complaints from residents that they were obstructing the street lights. After the trees are trimmed, there will be no visibility problem,” said Vijay Kamble, horticulture officer, Vashi garden department.

BACHCHAN KUMAR Workers trim trees at Arenja Corner in Vashi on Thursday.