Citizens and green activists have alleged that several heritage trees near Sadhu Vaswani bridge were cut despite a stay order issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). So much so that concerned residents have written to the Maharashtra Tree Authority, demanding immediate investigation into the incident and calling for strict action in the event the tribunal’s directions have been violated.
In an email sent on March 15, citizens have urged the Tree Authority to conduct a field inspection and verify whether or not the trees were felled illegally. Environmental groups have also expressed concern over the alleged cutting of heritage trees and warned that such actions, if confirmed, amount to contempt of the tribunal’s order.
The controversy is linked to the construction of the Sadhu Vaswani railway overbridge near Bund Garden. In 2024, several Punekars filed a complaint with the NGT opposing the proposed felling of 61 trees for the bridge. The tribunal subsequently directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to submit its response on the matter. During latter hearings, the tribunal appointed a joint committee to conduct a field inspection and submit a detailed report. The committee visited the site and later submitted its findings in October 2024. In its report, the committee asked the PMC to ensure strict adherence to the provisions of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation and Protection of Trees Act, 1975 while implementing the revised proposal. Following the review, the proposal was modified and the number of trees permitted to be cut was reduced significantly. According to the committee’s report, the revised proposal allowed only 18 trees to be razed while removing the remaining trees from the felling list.
However, citizens claim that during a visit to the site on March 14, they found that several trees — including some that had earlier been part of the felling proposal — had been chopped. They alleged that some of these were heritage trees and expressed concern that more trees marked at the site may be cut in the coming days.
Environmental activist Amit Singh, who has been raising objections against tree cutting, said that he personally visited the location and noticed that a number of heritage trees had been cut.
“When I went to the location, I saw that heritage trees had been chopped. There are several other trees marked at the site and we fear that they may also be felled in the coming days. This appears to be a clear breach of the directions issued by the NGT,” Singh said.
He added that citizens have formally written to the Maharashtra Tree Authority seeking an inquiry into the matter.
“We have asked the authority to conduct a proper investigation. If no action is taken in the next two weeks, we will move an application before the NGT,” he said.
When contacted, PMC officials denied all such allegations. Dinkar Gojare from the civic project department said that no tree cutting had been carried out recently for the Sadhu Vaswani bridge project.
He said that instructions had been issued to both officials and contractors working at the site to ensure that the trees are protected. “If required, the trees and plants should be transplanted to nearby areas rather than cut,” he added.
Environmental groups say that the incident has once again raised concerns about compliance with tree protection laws in urban infrastructure projects in Pune.
