Road-widening projects will be affected: BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration said that the High Court’s decision to restrict the powers of municipal commissioner regarding the grant of permission for tree cutting proposals of upto 25 trees will affect the infrastructural projects in the city. However, the opposition has welcomed the court’s order saying that it will disallow arbitrary cutting of trees in the city. 

A senior official from BMC’s garden department said, “We have to follow the guidelines set by the High Court. But, it will delay the permission granting for proposals which has less than 25 trees. Many civic works like roads widening, nullas widening etc. requires only 10 -15 trees to be cut. But now, such projects will also get delayed. Not only major projects but also small infrastructural development projects will be affected.” 

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ravi Raja said, “This decision won’t affect the infrastrutural projects to a great extent. Road widening and nulla widening projects are not randomly decided. They are planned well in advance and if it takes a little more time for sanctioning the permission for tree cutting by following proper steps, it wont make big difference. The court’s decision will stop arbitrary cutting of trees in the name of infrastructural development. 

The petitioner, Zoru Bathena said, “The court’s decision will make civic administration to think twice before sanctioning the proposals. Taking expert view is important.”