News Brief
Sion–Panvel Highway To Turn Into Green Corridor With 1.25 Lakh Trees: Report
Trees along the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway (representative image) (Vikas Rana/Flickr)
The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has embarked on a project to plant 1.25 lakh trees along the Sion–Panvel Highway, according to a Hindustan Times report.
The initiative seeks to revive the greenery lost over a decade ago when the highway was widened and concretised, leading to the felling of hundreds of trees, on one of the busiest arterial routes connecting Mumbai, Panvel, and the Pune Expressway,
“When people enter Navi Mumbai through the Sion–Panvel Highway, the first impression should not be of dust and concrete, but of greenery,” Municipal Commissioner Mangesh Chitale was quoted as saying by HT.
According to civic officials, around 7,132 sq m of land along the highway will be used for the plantation, with landscaped stretches varying between 600 and 2,700 sq m.
The design, prepared by landscape architect Krutika Jain, blends aesthetic appeal with ecological resilience.
The drive will begin from Kalamboli and Kamothe up to Belpada, where residential density and vehicular movement are highest.
Describing the project as a long-term environmental investment, Chitale noted, “Panvel has grown at a pace where infrastructure has outstripped ecology. By planting 1.25 lakh trees along the highway to turn it into a green belt, we are committing to a greener, healthier city for the next generation.”
A drip irrigation system and geo-tag monitoring will ensure consistent care and growth tracking.
The civic body also plans to involve resident groups, schools, environmentalists, and NGOs to make the initiative community-driven.
