The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Tree Authority will consider a proposal to remove 35 trees and transplant 11 others for a proposed Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project in Ghatkopar East.
The proposal concerns a plot at Ghatkopar Village No. 194/B (Part) in Kamraj Nagar, where redevelopment is planned under the slum rehabilitation scheme. It is scheduled for consideration at the Tree Authority meeting on August 14.
According to the proposal, a survey identified 90 trees on the project site. Construction and excavation activities are expected to affect 46 of them. The plan seeks permission to fell 35 trees and transplant 11, while 44 trees will be retained.
The trees marked for removal include peepal, coconut, rain tree, almond and vilayati chich, among other species. Several trees are estimated to be between 15 and 30 years old, while some have a circumference of up to eight feet.
As part of compensatory plantation, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has proposed planting 955 trees on the same plot within 15 days of the approved tree removal. The new trees will be at least six feet tall and will comprise local species.
The plantation is planned across about 2,583 square metres of open space and another 1,234 square metres designated as a recreational ground. The applicant has also committed to maintaining and conserving the newly planted trees for seven years.
The proposal originated from an application submitted by the MMRDA’s Town Planning Department in January 2026, seeking permission to fell 35 trees and transplant 11. BMC officials subsequently conducted a physical inspection of the site.
The permission process is being examined under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975. BMC had issued a public notice inviting objections and suggestions in February, while notices were also placed on the trees proposed for removal.
The Tree Authority will decide whether to approve, conditionally approve or reject the proposal under Section 8(3) of the Act. Prescribed fees, deposits, and compensatory charges must be paid before any permission is granted.
Source: The Times of India
