Mumbai Activists Oppose Proposal To Fell 11 Trees For Bullet Train Project: Report

More than 300 citizens in Mumbai have signed a letter opposing the proposal to fell and transplant trees for the bullet train and the Metro 7A line projects.

The letter was sent to the Gardens department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which issued public notices seeking suggestions for and objections to the proposal to fell and transplant trees.

For the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), the proposal is to fell 11 trees and transplant 141 trees.

For the Metro 7A line between Andheri East and Terminal 2 of the Mumbai International Airport, 55 trees will be axed, and another 84 trees will have to be transplanted, reports The Indian Express.

"The Bandra-Kurla Complex is already notorious for high air pollution. The removal of trees will further worsen the area's air quality and increase flooding intensity as tree roots prevent flooding by absorbing water. The 3.2km-long Metro 7A line will connect Andheri East to the Mumbai Airport. For this small stretch, BEST bus routes should be strengthened instead," read the letter sent to the BMC by the activists' group.

While the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) implements the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) executes the metro projects.

Both the agencies have approached the BMC seeking permission for the tree-felling exercise.