As Mumbai continues to face repeated heatwave warnings during the ongoing El Niño phase, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has proposed the cutting and transplantation of more than 200 trees for the long-delayed Vidyavihar East-West Flyover project.
According to civic officials, the proposal includes the removal and transplantation of 162 trees to facilitate the construction of a vehicular arm linked to the flyover corridor. In compensation, the BMC has stated that afforestation activities will be undertaken in Panvel, located in Raigad district.
The Vidyavihar east-west connector has remained one of Mumbai’s most delayed infrastructure projects. Initially conceptualised nearly 35 years ago, the flyover has spent close to a decade under construction due to multiple administrative and execution-related hurdles.
The 650-metre-long elevated corridor is designed to connect Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg on the eastern side with Ramkrishna Chemburkar Marg in the west by crossing above railway tracks. The project was first included in the BMC’s Development Plan regulations in 1991 as part of efforts to improve east-west connectivity in central Mumbai.
Although tenders for the project were floated in 2016 and construction work began soon after, progress has been repeatedly affected by delays linked to clearances, land-related issues and logistical challenges.
The latest proposal has once again triggered debate around the balance between urban infrastructure expansion and environmental sustainability, particularly at a time when Mumbai is witnessing rising temperatures and growing concerns over shrinking green cover.
Urban planners and environmental observers have increasingly highlighted the importance of preserving mature trees in dense metropolitan regions, especially during periods of extreme heat. However, civic authorities maintain that the flyover is a critical infrastructure project aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving connectivity between eastern and western suburbs.
Once completed, the flyover is expected to significantly reduce travel time and decongest existing railway crossings in the Vidyavihar area.
Source: The Indian Express
