Axe looms over all but 8 trees from Kurla to Mulund……Shweta Desai
Soon, only eight trees may remain standing along the 15-km stretch from Kurla to Mulund along the Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. Of the 55 trees along this arterial road, 47 have been found obstacles to traffic and the authorities plan to remove them.
The road is widely used for commuting on the eastern suburbs and traffic is heavily congested. At certain stretches, the trees are so located that they obstruct traffic further, authorities said.
A proposal has been tabled with the Tree Authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which will meet next week. The plan is to remove 47 trees and replant four of them elsewhere. A final decision is expected after a discussion on Wednesday.
The trees stand at Mulund, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli.
Business consultant K K Govindan, who lives in Mahavir Tower at Kanjurmarg, is upset that two trees outside his building compound will be axed. “Cutting trees is not a solution. It should not be much trouble for motorists even if these trees remain on the road,” said Govindan, who drives on the road everyday.
The Tree Authority will also discuss a proposal tabled by the civic administration to amend the budget and make a new provision to “increase greenery in the city by planting more trees”. A budget of Rs 12 crore will be divided among 12 zones to increase the green cover in each. Another proposal is to increase from Rs 1.58 crore to Rs 13.58 crore the provision to water the existing and new greenery.
Many more to fall
All 379 trees between Ashoknagar Pool and Custom Colony will be chopped for the construction of a retaining wall at the river Mithi in Andheri East. They would have obstructed the construction of the retaining wall, six metres on either side. None of these trees will be replanted. For the widening of the Sowmayya Nullah at Kurla, 56 trees will be cut from the Eastern Express Highway till Subhash Nagar Nullah. Another 22 trees will be removed in Andheri West for the widening and deepening of the Oshiwara river system catchment.