New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the decks for tunnelling work to begin as part of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, including allowing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to remove 95 trees from the protected Aarey forest, which serves as a green lung for Mumbai.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai and justice K Vinod Chandran passed the order after it was informed that the Maharashtra State Tree Authority has directed the BMC to undertake compensatory afforestation of 1,344 trees to make up for the 70 trees to be felled and 25 to be translocated due to the infrastructure project. In addition, the BMC submitted expert studies showing that the present road alignment of the GMLR project involved the least felling of trees.
While approving the compensatory afforestation plan, the bench further directed the BMC to ensure geotagging of the trees to be planted. It also sought a report from the Mumbai Conservator of Forests on the status of trees planted as part of compensatory afforestation measures undertaken in the past. The matter has been posted for hearing after six weeks.
On July 29, the top court had permitted the project to go ahead but restrained the BMC from carrying out tree felling until it reviews an alternate possible alignment and the compensatory afforestation plan.
Advocate Dhruv Mehta, appearing for the BMC, presented detailed reports of experts from IIT Bombay, among others, suggesting that the present alignment will entail cutting down 1,134 trees, which will cause the least damage to the environment and local ecosystem.
The BMC had to approach the Supreme Court in view of its January 2025 order, which prohibits the tree authority from processing any request for felling of trees in the Aarey forest region. As part of the first phase of the project, 95 trees are required to be cut or translocated for the construction of a 6.62-kilometre-long underground tunnel road. These trees, according to BMC, are situated at Film City, a region close to the Aarey forest belt. The chopping of trees was required to make space for the heavy tunnel boring machine.
Permitting the tree authority to fell 70 trees and transplant 25 others, the bench said, “We are satisfied that the project proponent has come to the conclusion that no other route alternative other than this route is based on expert opinion.”
The court also heard individuals and organisations opposing any further felling of trees in Aarey forest and considered their objections. Advocates Pooja Dhar and Srishti Agnihotri told the court that the top court had, in October 2019 and April 2023, directed the state government to provide the status of the trees planted while undertaking development works requiring chopping or translocation of Aarey forest trees.
Further, it was pointed out that under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection & Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, the state is required to carry out geotagging of trees and afforestation by planting trees of suitable species.
The court ordered the state to strictly adhere to all statutory requirements and directed the Conservator of Forests, Mumbai, to prepare a report on the status of plantation carried out under compensatory afforestation.
On an earlier date, the court had stressed the need for development works to be undertaken. “We are all for protecting the environment, but sustainable development is also necessary. We have to be also concerned about the millions of citizens who will benefit from this,” it had said.
The Goregaon-Mulund Link Road is expected to connect the Eastern Express Highway and the Western Express Highway, and reduce travel time between Goregaon and Mulund by over one hour.