Mumbai: The BMC has sought the standing committee’s approval to appoint Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (FDCM) as a third-party agency for compensatory tree plantation, replantation, and conservation for seven years as part of Mumbai Coastal Road (North) and Dahisar-Bhayander Elevated Road projects.A proposal to be tabled before the standing committee on June 12 seeks approval to pay Rs 12.81 crore to FDCM for planting 15,843 trees over 15 hectares of land at Karanjade in Panvel and maintaining them for seven years, in compliance with conditions imposed by the Tree Authority and environmental clearances.The Mumbai Coastal Road (North) project, extending from Versova to Bhayander and linked to Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, has been divided into seven packages. According to the BMC, around 9,904 trees along the project alignment will be affected, necessitating compensatory plantation of nearly 70,000 trees under the state’s Compensatory Tree Plantation/Replantation Policy.The BMC had sought around 60 hectares of land for the exercise, but the FDCM has presently made 15 hectares available, sufficient to accommodate 15,843 trees.Separately, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan at Paspoli in Powai has been identified for the replantation of 882 transplanted trees, which will also be maintained for seven years.The proposal states that the contractors for all seven packages had conducted tree surveys through horticulturists and submitted tree-felling and transplantation proposals to the Tree Authority. The garden department has directed that compensatory plantation be carried out in accordance with the state government’s 2025 policy, with contractors required to furnish undertakings guaranteeing compliance.The BMC has already earmarked substantial funds under the head of statutory environmental and authority fees while sanctioning the seven project packages. The total provision for such payments stands at Rs 715.07 crore.Of this amount, the BMC has already paid Rs 351.65 crore to the Mangrove Cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department and Rs 2.54 crore to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. After these payments, Rs 360.87 crore remains available, from which the proposed Rs 12.81 crore payment to FDCM will be made through the 2026-27 budget.
