Mumbai: Proposal To Cut 499 Trees For BKC Pod Taxi Awaits Approval; Green Activists Seek Alignment Change

Mumbai, April 29: The green activists are up in arms against cutting of 499 trees for the pod taxi project at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). They stress that reducing the city's green cover for a fancy taxi, which can accommodate not more than four people, is unreasonable, especially when the city is reeling under heatwaves.

Officials from the BMC garden department said that the trees fall in the aligned Kurla to Bandra stretch for the pod taxi project, and the trees range from small to big and roadside trees.

Proposal awaits Tree Authority nod

“The proposal will be revised. It is yet to be tabled at the Tree Authority for a final sanction,” said a senior civic garden department officer.

The first meeting of the newly constituted Tree Authority at the BMC was held last week. From the next meeting, the authority, which is headed by Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, will take up proposals for discussion and final decisions.

Activists seek route change

Nimish Malde, a green activist, said, “The MMRDA can change the alignment and save the trees. Similar for the Coastal Road North project, where a slight change in alignment can save 199 trees at the Nana Nani Park. The authorities and politicians should realise the importance of the city's green cover, especially when we are enduring extreme heat. Trees are natural protectors.”

Environment activist Natasha Pereira said, “Electric buses, underground metro etc are available at BKC, so what is the use of this wasteful expenditure in pod taxi? As this project is connecting several govt office buildings like MMRDA, SEBI, NSE, GST Bhavan etc, it will only benefit govt employees from our taxpayers' money. The BKC already has lost several trees in the past due to the underground metro, Metro 2B & the bullet train project, so why cut the last remaining trees when most Indian cities are featured in the top 100 list of hottest cities in the world?”

Concerns over tree transplantation

Pereira added that transplantation of trees is as good as killing a tree as they hardly survive and are prone to weakening and diseases. Any project that involves destruction of trees or mangroves that brings down the city's temperatures isn't a sustainable project, she said.

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Mumbai: Proposal To Cut 499 Trees For BKC Pod Taxi Awaits Approval; Green Activists Seek Alignment Change

Activists have opposed the proposal to cut 499 trees for Mumbai’s BKC pod taxi project, saying it will reduce green cover during rising heatwaves. The plan is awaiting Tree Authority approval, while campaigners seek a revised alignment to save trees.