Mumbai: Mumbaikars have warned to hit the streets to save over 700 trees along the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), which are proposed to be axed to make way for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) Rs 2,682 crore elevated road between Ghatkopar and Thane. Greens have expressed resentment against the removal of such a large number of trees, many of which are the highly admired rosy trumpet trees.
Iconic Rosy Trumpet Trees Under Threat
Motorists travelling between Ghatkopar and Thane through the EEH during winter get to observe the beautiful sight of pink flowers blooming in large numbers on the trees on both sides of the highway near Vikhroli.
The tabebuia rosea, commonly known as rosy trumpet, witnesses the blooming of pink flowers once a year and provides a feel of Japan’s cherry blossom trees. These trees become a major attraction point for commuters on the stretch during winter.
Photo Credits: Salman Ansari
706 Trees Identified For Cutting Or Transplantation
However, Mumbaikars might soon miss the sight of these pink trees as around 706 trees along EEH, including these rare trees, are likely to be cut down by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to make way for MMRDA’s three-lane elevated road spanning almost 13km to connect Ghatkopar’s Chheda Nagar with Thane’s Anand Nagar at a cost of Rs 2,682 crore.
The BMC has identified around 706 trees across N ward, T ward and S ward, and has put up notices on them, inviting suggestions and objections from citizens. Around 315 of these trees are likely to be cut permanently while the others will be transplanted.
Citizens Launch Online Campaign
Mumbaikars are opposing the civic body’s plan to axe the trees by writing to the authorities, making social media posts and signing an online petition. An online petition created by Naheed Contractor, opposing the cutting of trees, had received more than 2,200 signatures till Tuesday evening.
“This is a 12km stretch that is going to be affected and anyway the green patches that we once had are fading away slowly. We cannot remove over 700 trees just for another lane of cars to jam the highway,” read the petition.
Activists Demand Replantation And Accountability
Green activists have also condemned the plan of cutting the trees and demanded that the civic body should stress on replantation and pre-plantation of trees.
Subhajit Mukherjee, founder of Mission Green Mumbai, said, “It is our helplessness that we have to cut trees in the land starved city of Mumbai to fulfil the responsibility for people’s survival through infrastructure. However, the BMC is not putting any efforts in replantation and pre-plantation of trees being axed. There is no will to act in this direction and that is the reason that over one lakh trees are currently affected in the city due to over 4,000 redevelopment projects.”
Photo Credits: Salman Ansari
Chipko-Style Protest And Street Mobilisation Planned
A few greens have also warned of hitting the streets to protect the streets as they have called the plan unacceptable. “We have already lost a lot of trees to metro projects and now we cannot let them cause such a big destruction. This way, it seems that they are on a run to chop down all the trees in Mumbai. Building more roads to reduce traffic has never worked in this city and still they keep on destroying green spaces. We will write our objections to the BMC and will even hit the streets if they plan to go ahead,” said Natasha Perreira, a green activist from Bandra.
Also Watch:
Morning Walkers Stage Symbolic ‘Chipko Movement’
On Tuesday, morning walkers hugged the trees in a symbolic 'Chipko Movement' to oppose the notices put up by BMC regarding the cutting of trees.
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