BMC's Tree Authority seeks Supreme Court approval to cut trees for Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project in Mumbai
Mumbai: BMC's Tree Authority (TA) filed an application with Supreme Court seeking directions to fell 1,134 trees in Film City for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project.
Pointing out that in Jan, SC had directed that no tree could be cut in Aarey without its permission, the Tree Authority submitted that while the project falls in Aarey village, it is not in the Aarey Milk Colony.
The GMLR project envisages developing road connectivity from Western Express Highway to Eastern Express Highway to reduce travel time by almost an hour between Mulund and Goregaon. The trees to be felled are for the 6.2km twin tunnels, which are part of the 5.3km GMLR between Film City, Goregaon, and Khindipada (Amar Nagar), Mulund. "The project involves development of a road through a tunnel to preserve the green space on the ground," stated the Tree Authority, while seeking permission to cut the trees.
The Authority informed that Tunnel Boring Machines and launching of shaft work were crucial for the tunnel works. "For digging the pit structure, it is required to clear ground space and, in the process, a certain number of trees are required to be felled," the application read. Furthermore, the shifting of the launching shaft location resulted in an increase in the number of trees to be felled by 40. The shaft was shifted to avoid the relocation of a tribal hamlet, Habalepada.
The excavation would require the felling of 95 trees, and the authority requested permission to fell these trees in phase I.
It also submitted a letter from the Aarey Colony chief executive officer stating that the tunnels do not fall within the area of the Aarey Dairy Development department.
"It is reiterated that the land under consideration for the GMLR project does not fall under the Aarey Colony, however as a matter of abundant caution and in due deference to the orders passed by this court, the applicant has filed the present application seeking leave of this court to proceed with felling of 95 trees in the first phase and seeks liberty to approach this court for the felling of trees in the second phase keeping in mind the requirement for the said public project," said the Tree Authority in its application.
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