In a major step toward restoring the city’s lost greenery, the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced an ambitious plan to plant 1.25 lakh trees along the Sion–Panvel Highway, transforming the busy route into a lush green corridor.
Over the years, rapid urbanisation and infrastructure projects in Panvel have led to widespread tree loss, earning the city the label of a “concrete jungle.” The civic body now aims to reverse this trend by restoring environmental balance and reducing pollution levels along this vital highway stretch.
Highway to get new green identity
Officials informed that the Sion–Panvel Highway, which begins at Kalamboli and connects to the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, underwent widening and concretisation about 12 years ago a development that resulted in extensive felling of trees.
The new project focuses on replanting and nurturing greenery through dense plantation drives, flowering species, Miyawaki-style mini forests, and ground-cover vegetation to create a visually and ecologically rich landscape.
Landscaping and design-led restoration plan
According to civic officials, around 7,132 sq. metres of land along the highway will be utilised for tree plantation. Specific sections, ranging from 600 to 2,700 sq. metres, will feature landscaped zones with diverse plant varieties to improve both aesthetic appeal and environmental resilience.
“This project is not just about beautifying the Sion–Panvel Highway but about breathing new life into Panvel’s ecosystem,” said a senior official. “The plantation of 1.25 lakh trees will help strengthen environmental balance. Our goal is to make Panvel pollution-free through citizen participation.”
Community participation at the heart of the project
The PMC plans to execute the project in collaboration with social organisations, environmental groups, and local residents, ensuring it evolves into a community-driven green movement.
From Kalamboli Circle onwards, more than a lakh saplings will be planted, with the stretch expected to emerge as a model “Green Highway” within a year, according to the Tree Authority Committee.
