A public interest litigation has been filed before the Bombay High Court challenging the Thane Municipal Corporation’s approval to cut 520 trees and relocate 2,693 others for the Thane Integral Ring Metro project. The petitioner alleges that the permissions were granted without establishing the legally mandated Tree Authority.
Filed by social activist Rohit Joshi, the petition contests the civic body’s resolution dated June 17, 2026, and the clearance issued on August 24, 2026. It also seeks the formation of a Tree Authority to ensure that decisions concerning tree removal follow the prescribed legal process.
Under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, municipal bodies must establish a Tree Authority to supervise such matters. Joshi claims the corporation has not constituted the body and has been “taking all the decisions to grant permissions sought for felling of trees in Thane”. He contends that this violates the law and constitutional principles.
According to the petition, information obtained through a Right to Information application filed in September revealed that approvals had been issued for projects affecting more than 4,600 trees across Thane without a Tree Authority.
The plea argues that the metro project could significantly diminish the city’s green cover. It states that around 4,000 trees would be affected, including 2,693 proposed for transplantation and 519 marked for removal. Nine trees identified for relocation are classified as heritage trees.
“In view of the substantial number of trees getting affected by the project, the decision to grant permission for felling of such trees could not have been taken without obtaining an opinion, assessment or report from qualified botanical, horticultural experts, or ecologist”, the plea says.
The petition also flags environmental concerns, stating that the alignment overlaps 29,871.87 square metres of mangrove land and 40,926.53 square metres of mangrove buffer zone. It further alleges that the route crosses 500.32 metres of Sanjay Gandhi National Park’s protected area, affecting 0.7863 hectares of forest land, and traverses 3.599 km of the park’s notified eco-sensitive zone.
The metro corridor is intended to connect Thane railway station with Metro Lines 4 and 5, strengthening public transport links across the growing city.
Source: Hindustan Times
