Pune: At least 467 trees will be affected by the proposed 20-metre Development Plan (DP) road widening in Kothrud, with 149 trees permitted to be completely felled and 318 trees earmarked for transplantation, according to a tree-felling permission and extension order issued by the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Tree Authority office.
The permission pertains to Survey Nos. 12/2 and 12/5 in Kothrud and has been issued by the PMC’s Warje-Karvenagar Regional Office. The latest document is an extension of an earlier tree-felling permission granted for the road project. The original permission followed an application submitted in September 2023 and approval by the Municipal Commissioner through a resolution dated Oct 19, 2023.
The PMC document states that a site inspection found 467 trees obstructing the proposed 20-metre DP road work. Of these, the Tree Authority has permitted the complete removal of 149 trees, while 318 trees are to be transplanted. The tree-wise list in the 18-page permission document records the species, girth, height and age of the trees covered by the order.
As a condition for the tree removal, the civic body has mandated the plantation of 6,041 new trees of local species. The permission requires the new trees to be at least 6 feet tall, have a minimum girth of 10 cm and be at least five years old. The plantation is required to be completed within 30 days of the date of tree felling.
The PMC has further made geo-tagging of the newly planted trees mandatory, along with submission of a location map and photographs. The trees are required to be maintained and protected for at least seven years, with a progress report to be submitted to the Tree Officer once every six months.
The permission also states that if birds’ nests are found on the trees, they must be shifted appropriately before the work is undertaken. The concerned agency has been directed to verify objections, if any, from citizens or organisations before removing or transplanting the trees.
The permission is valid for three months from its date of issue. The civic document also states that any future objections or legal proceedings arising from the proposal will be the responsibility of the applicant.
A PMC officer said the proposed road is linked to a large land parcel valued at around Rs500 crore, which had been proposed to be given to a private institution on a 30-year lease.
