The MMRCL, executing Metro 3 from Colaba to Seepz in Andheri, has uprooted 1,561 trees that were a hurdle to w... Read More

MUMBAI: A high court-appointed inspection committee found that 61% of trees transplanted by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) during Metro 3 work had died.

The committee, along with others, is visiting over three days the sites where trees affected by Metro work have been transplanted. The MMRCL, executing Metro 3 from Colaba to Seepz in Andheri, has uprooted 1,561 trees that were a hurdle to work. They were transplanted at 31 locations over the last few years. Of them, 956 (61%), most in Aarey Colony, have died.

On Tuesday, the panel visited Aarey, and found that 684 of the 1,066 transplanted trees — 64% — had died, said tree activist Zoru Bhathena, who is on the team representing the petitioner.

Tree transplant precaution not taken: Activists

Court officers and Metro officials are the other members, and they will submit a report to HC. The MMRCL spokesperson refused to comment.

The poor survival rate of the transplanted trees indicates that the Metro authority had not taken proper precautions while deciding on transplantation, alleged Bhathena. The authority needs to check the health of a tree before initiating the transplantation, must follow prescribed procedure to ensure it doesn’t die of shock.

“Like a human organ transplant, similar precaution needs to be taken for trees. They should not dump the trees just in some empty space without examining if the soil will help the trees’ growth or not. In Aarey, they transplanted most of the trees on finding empty spaces and without applying mind. For years trees didn’t grow on those spots due to unfriendly soil condition, how could it help the transplanted trees?” Bhathena asked.

Other experts too pointed that one needs to take precaution while uprooting trees. “Also there are some species that cannot survive after transplantation,” said a horticulturist on BMC’s Tree Authority.

The MMRCL has also proposed a highly controversial Metro car shed in Aarey Colony, which activists and citizens are opposing tooth and nail and the issue is in the Supreme Court. Before that, more than 2,000 trees were already been cut in the forested area.

The high court inspection committee also visited the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) where the Metro authority claims it has planted over 21,000 trees to compensate for cutting the fully grown trees inside Aarey. The Metro authority will submit the details of the planted trees to the inspection committee in the next few days.

