1,687 trees in Vikhroli to go for MUM-AHM bullet train

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Tree Authority has sought public comments and objections to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation’s (NSHRC) proposal to fell 1,687 trees in Vikhroli East, to make way for the 508 km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train.

Another 181 trees from the area -- City Survey Nos. 51A and 1A -- are proposed to be transplanted elsewhere. The proposal is yet to be placed before Maharashtra State Tree Authority, which sanctions all such proposals for tree-felling involving more than 200 trees.

These are in addition to at least 21,997 mangroves which are slated to be cleared for the project in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts, for which permission had been granted by the MoEFCC in 2019, and the Bombay high court (HC) gave permission in December 2022, pursuant to HC orders in 2004 and 2018.

Yet another 1,400 odd trees are located on 22 hectares of forest land across three villages (Betegaon, Valva and Shigaon) in Palghar. This land has been earmarked for the realignment of five major power lines that are getting in the way of the bullet train corridor, and will have to be relocated, resulting in the further loss of green cover.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad line is the first bullet train project in India, of which 155 km will pass through Maharashtra, of which around 23.5km lies within the state’s coastal regulation zone (CRZ).

Eleven types of mangrove species, the habitat of 177 species of resident and migratory birds, otters, turtles, fish, crabs, oysters, wild boar, monkeys, flying fox, fishing cats, civets, mongoose, wild cats etc. frequently enter the mangroves for feeding and shelter — will be directly affected by the project, according to an 85-page report by the Mangrove Society of India (MSI) from June 2018.

Reduced water quality, changes in hydrology and drainage, and noise pollution from the speed and sound of the train may pose another threat to intertidal habitats at the banks of the estuaries and creeks, the report points out.

A 21-km underground corridor from Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Kalyan has been planned with 7km passing under the Thane creek. A total of 5.2km of mangroves and mudflats will be lost on either side of the creek, while 1.8km is to be built under the sea bed. There are 12 proposed stations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train route — BKC, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, Anand, Sabarmati and Ahmedabad.

“More and more details have been emerging about the true natural cost of the bullet train. One hopes that the state tree authority, when it considers the proposal, will do what it can to minimise the number of trees to be cut. Citizens should write to the BMC with their comments and objections,” said environmentalist Zoru Bhatena.

"The affected trees are in a 3.9 hectare plot area.

It is worth noting that total 86.4% trees (1,579 nos) are less than 30 cm girth and 13% in are between 30cm to 60cm girth. Also, more than 67% of total trees (1,234 nos.) are of invasive non-native subabhul tree species generally used in livestock feed. In lieu of above NHSRCL will undertake compensatory plantation of more than 5,300 trees," an NHSRCL spokesperson said to HT.