BMC Starts Cutting 199 Trees At Mahalakshmi To Construct Two Road Over Bridges

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, BMC has started axing 199 trees in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, to make way to construct two road-over-bridges.

The ROBs will ease up traffic and offer direct connectivity from Saat Rasta to Haji Ali Junction and Worli Naka.

According to a report, the tree authority of BMC had given the nod to felling of a total 1,234 trees in all for various infrastructure projects in December last year.

Local residents expressed dissatisfaction over the felling of trees.

Advocate Godfrey Pimenta said that the environmental destruction being done by the cutting of full-grown trees is irreversible and irreparable. "This should not have been allowed in larger public interest," he added.

Of the 199 trees that will be cut, 46 will be transplanted.

Trees in three civic wards—D (Tardeo), E (Byculla) and G-South (Lower Parel)—will be affected by the two cable-stayed ROBs.

Total cost of the project is estimated to be around 745 crore, according to a report published in Times of India.