Mumbai: MMRCL Spends ₹12.01 Crore For Planting Trees Along Metro 3, Reveals RTI

Mumbai: MMRCL Spends ₹12.01 Crore For Planting Trees Along Metro 3, Reveals RTI | Representative Photo

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) has claimed to have spent a sum of Rs 12.01 Crore on tree plantation along the route of Metro 3 or Aqua Line (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz). However, the Corporation has failed to provide the details of actual trees planted along the route. This was revealed in a reply to the RTI application filed by the Founder of Watchdog Foundation, Godfrey Pimenta on June 26, 2024.

“MMRCL awarded tenders for supply, delivery, plantation and maintenance (three years) of advanced nursery growing trees. While the Tree Package 19 (Dharavi to SEEPZ) totalling 10 Metro stations is of Rs 3.39 Crore, the Tree Package 20 (Mumbai Central to Shitaladevi) totalling eight metro stations is of Rs 3.37 Crore. Similarly, the Tree Package 21 (Cuffe Parade to Grant Road) totalling six metro stations is Rs 4.94 Crore till June 26, 2024,” the MMRCL said in the reply dated July 18, 2024.

“We also asked about the number of trees planted till June 23, 2024, and the MMRCL said the location-wise information is attached as annexure 1, but it didn’t attach the annexure and thereby failed to give proper reply to the RTI query,” Pimenta said.”

According to MMRCL, it planted 23,523 new trees and the cost of planting one tree comes to Rs 5,108 per tree. “However, the maximum cost reportedly should not be more than Rs 200 per tree inclusive of earth moving and soil preparation. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has fixed Rs 800 per tree as the price for the same activity,” Pimenta said and demanded the MMRCL to come clean on the number of trees planted since it is one of major criteria while getting environmental approval for any infrastructure project.

“Even under green initiatives being implemented by MMRCL on its website, there is no mention of the planting of trees which is an act of deceiving people who are concerned about sustainable practices being followed while executing any project,” he concluded.

MMRCL had earlier said that the project will affect 5,012 trees, of which 1,331 will be cut and the remaining 3,681 will be re-planted in other parts of the city. As per the terms of the contracts awarded to various consortia, they are in-charge of transplanting affected trees and planting new trees to make up for those cut down. 

The contract requires consortia to plant three times the number of trees cut down for the project, and maintain them for a period of at least three years. The MMRCL also announced in February, 2017 that it would donate 25,000 saplings to housing societies, hospitals, and schools located along the metro line. The MMRC stated that the donation was in addition to compulsory tree plantation required by civic body regulations.

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