MUMBAI: As many as 1,524 trees will be affected by the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, with the BMC proposing to axe 695 trees and transplant another 666.A BMC official said, “While there are 1,524 trees that fall in the alignment, the project is likely to impact 695 that will need felling and 666 which will be required to be transplanted. There are also many trees which come only in the influence zone and may not impacted but as a precautionary measure we have still accounted for them.”GMLR phase IV, the portion that is being constructed under this project, will run from Nahur ROB over the existing Eastern Express Highway and towards Airoli.The civic body on Thursday invited objections and suggestions from citizens on the proposal within seven days of publication of the public notice.
The NGO Watchdog Foundation has voiced concerns about the ecological backlash.
Officials told TOI that most trees to be affected are subabul trees. The proposal has been submitted by the executive engineer of the BMC’s GMLR bridge department. The notice has been issued under Section 8(f) of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, as amended up to January 2025.NGO Watchdog foundation has said that the proposed destruction and transplantation of such a large number of trees is deeply concerning and could have irreversible consequences for Mumbai’s environment and ecological balance. “Development cannot come at the cost of destroying the very environment that sustains us. The loss of hundreds of trees will adversely affect biodiversity, air quality, urban temperatures, and the overall quality of life of Mumbaikars,” said the NGO in a letter sent to the BMC.Meanwhile, excavation for the twin tunnels of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park has progressed by 183 metres, with BMC expecting the pace of work to increase. The second tunnel boring machine (TBM), named Vihar, has completed its site acceptance test, bringing it closer to starting excavation.The GMLR project has a target completion date of February 2029.The twin tunnels are expected to provide a direct east-west link between Goregaon and Mulund, reducing dependence on existing north-south routes and the longer road journey around the northern edge of the city.
