‘MMRCL’s tally of additional 177 trees in Aarey Colony an undercount’

MMRCL has been given permission to cut 177 trees for a shunting area for Metro-3 trains in Mumbai's Aarey Colony, however, the number is considered an undercount. Environmentalists and Adivasis living near the project site say that the total number of "unnumbered" trees is between 90 and 100, which have not been given permission to be felled. The Supreme Court has criticised MMRCL for its attempts to "overreach" its orders and imposed a fine of INR10 lakh ($13,245) on the company.

Mumbai: With the Supreme Court having cleared the way for the Mumbai Metropolitan Rail Corporation (MMRCL) to cut additional trees in Aarey Colony’s Prajapurpada village, 177 trees will soon be felled for creating a shunting area for Metro-3 trains, of which 53 will be transplanted and 124 will be cut down permanently. This number is, evidently, a significant undercount of the total number of project-affected trees.

‘MMRCL’s tally of additional 177 trees in Aarey Colony an undercount’

Over multiple visits to the project site (located at CTS No. 11) this month, Hindustan Times observed more than two dozen wooden trees in the alignment of the shunting neck, which have not been numbered. These include at least three fig trees, one pipal, one mango tree, a mulberry tree and coconut palm, among others. HT did not record the numbers of non-wooden trees (such as papaya and banana) that do not fall under the definition of “tree” under the Maharashtra Tree Act, though multiple specimens of these are also present on the site.

No permissions have so far been sought by MMRCL to cut these unnumbered trees, which are in addition to the 177 for which they have recently been given the apex court’s nod. Environmentalists and Adivasis living near the project site peg the total number of such unnumbered trees to be between 90 and 100, throughout the length of the shunting neck, which is across the road from the contentious Metro-3 car shed site.

“It seems the MMRCL is trying to bypass permissions under the Maharashtra Tree Act by wittingly hiding the number of trees on the land. Based on the MMRCL’s own drawings for the shunting neck, there is no way these trees can be retained as the entire plot is slated to be developed,” said Amrita Bhattacharjee, one of the petitioners in ongoing proceedings before the SC.

Sanjay Karhade, MMRCL’s media advisor, did not respond to requests for a comment on Thursday.

In a reply filed before the SC on April 15 by Bhattacharya’s advocate, it is mentioned: “Considering the position of these unnumbered trees, it is a reasonable apprehension that the same would also be required to be felled, if the area is to be used for shunting of trains as stated by MMRCL in its application. It is also clear from the photographs that these unnumbered trees clearly fall within the definition of “tree” under the Tree Act and the same cannot be felled/transplanted without the permission of the Tree Authority.”

On Monday, April 17, the Supreme Court came down hard on MMRCL for attempting to “overreach” its orders in the matter, after the MMRCL sought permissions to fell more than the permitted 84 trees (clearance for which had been pending since 2019). The SC also imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on MMRCL, after initially threatening contempt proceedings against both, the MMRCL and the BMC (whose Tree Authority on March 15 gave permission to fell the 177 trees).