Mumbai: Green activists have lauded the planting of 82 trees to replace those cut for constructing the Siddhivinayak Metro station, but have pointed out that 39 more trees need to be planted at the site to compensate for all the cut trees.
Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), said in a message on microblogging site 'X', 'After completion of underground Siddhivinak Metro station, ground above is restored, properly grown-up trees of indigenous varieties are planted and garden is being restored. These trees were grown in nurseries for past 4 years. Similar action is being taken at other stations of @MumbaiMetro3.'
MMRCL, which is building the Cuffe Parade-SEEPZ underground Metro, or Metro 3, planted the trees 'in situ' to compensate for trees cut down at Sane Guruji Udyan, next to Siddhivinayak temple in Dadar. MMRCL said that the trees planted at Siddhivinayak Metro station are from species like Chapha, Desi Badam, Khaya, Mahogany, Pimpal, Rain tree, Saptaparni, Sonmohar, Taman, and Umbrella tree. The company added that 82 trees have been planted at the site since August 2023.
Reacting to the tree plantings, civic activist Zoru Bathena thanked Mumbai Metro 3 for the 82 trees, but pointed out that 39 more trees need to be planted at the site. Green activists appreciated the fact that the saplings were a few years old, which increases the chances of their survival. However, they have said that indigenous species of trees should be planted. The rain tree, for instance, is not a native species.
In a recent meeting of the Bombay High Court-appointed committee that is monitoring the replacement of trees cut for the Metro 3, Bathena, representing the petitioners in the 2017 petition against felling of trees for the project, had pointed out that as per the committee's directions, MMRCL had submitted drawings of of 12 Metro stations.
As per the directions of the committee, the group visited the stations and found that except at Siddhivinayak Station, no trees were planted. According to the minutes of the meeting, MMRCL informed the committee that they had planted 97 trees and removed roughly 2000 trees.
Earlier this month, MMRCL planted 38 trees under in-situ plantation programme on two Eros traffic islands near Churchgate to replace trees that were cut to build the Churchgate underground Metro station. In a statement about this planting site, MMRCL said in a statement: 'The species of trees planted includes Desi Badam, Bakul, Sonchapha, Mahogany, Umbrella tree and Pimpal. Tree contractor is maintaining these trees by regular irrigation.'
