In a contradiction to its own earlier claim of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) of having spent Rs. 12.01 crores for planting 584 trees along the Metro-3 line, the organisation has now stated that the amount includes plantation and maintenance cost of 2,931 trees. This works to an average cost of Rs. 41,000 per tree. Amid disparity in MMRCL’s claims, the green activists have raised concerns alleging that the amount of Rs 41,000 per tree is highly inflated and also the quality of maintenance is not at par with standards.
On July 29, The Free Press Journal had reported about MMRCL’s reply to an RTI query by advocate Godfrey Pimenta where the government-owned company claimed to have spent a sum of Rs 12.01 Crore on tree plantation along the route of Metro 3 or Aqua Line (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz). However, the Corporation had failed to provide the details of actual number of trees planted along the route and their location. Surprisingly, later the corporation’s reply claimed that only 584 trees were planted under the said cost which averaged to Rs. 2 lakh per tree.
In a turn of events, after The Free Press Journal’s report, MMRCL released a statement where it claimed that the amount of Rs. 12.01 crore has been awarded for three contracts for the total 2,931 trees with an average of Rs. 41,000 per tree. It also claimed that 683 trees have been planted at station sites until August 12.
MMRCL said that three contracts including package 19, 20 and 21 have been awarded for implementation of in-situ plantation, where the agency was required to grow trees of specified species in their nurseries till they attain girth of 46cm. The nurseries had to meet required technical and financial criteria including having minimum nursery area of 2 hectares. In stage 2, these trees are to be transported from the nurseries to specific locations in Mumbai and undertake plantation at sites and finally as the stage 3, they are to maintain these trees for a period of three years and to replace any casualties with grown up trees of specific species.
However, the claims made by MMRCL have not gone well with the green activists, who have alleged that the cost of Rs. 41,000 for planting and maintaining one tree is inflated and it should have been much lower than what is being spent.
Ashok Kothari, former president of National Society of the Friends of Trees said, “Fully grown trees are expensive but not so much. Maximum cost for such kind of trees that are 10 to 15 feet tall, will be below Rs. 4,000. This season we purchased 5 to 7 feet tall fruit trees for free distribution, from a nursery at Kharghar for nearly Rs 500 each.”
Pimenta said, “The latest figure claimed by MMRCL to have spent for every tree is still 40 times higher than what BMC pays for every tree. On the other hand there is no maintenance happening on the ground level, which can be seen in Aarey. It feels like the contractor is not maintaining the trees but trying to kill them and MMRCL is not checking on the contractor. This is a gross example of corruption.”
Pedestrian Issues Raised Along Metro-3 Route
Walking Project, an initiative of Project Mumbai which aims to create a safe walking experience across Mumbai metropolitan region, has prepared a report raising concerns regarding the pedestrian infrastructure around the upcoming metro stations as a part of Metro-3. The report says that the tree gratings installed by MMRCL fail to provide a flat surface, creating obstacles that hinder pedestrian movement and negatively affect the walkability of the area. It has suggested to replace the existing tree gratings with surmountable gratings that provide a flat, even surface, as per the Indian Road Congress guidelines.
The report also highlights absence of tacticle paving which deprives visually impaired pedestrians of essential guidance and restricted access to lifts which limits the usability. It suggested installation of tactile paving and adding stairs wherever feasible to ensure that lift access is not restricted to one side.
