Pune: 61 Trees To Be Cut to Reconstruct Sadhu Vaswani Rail Overbridge; Residents Raise Objection

Now that the civic authorities have decided to reconstruct the Sadhu Vaswani Rail Overbridge, the PMC tree authority has decided to axe 62 trees to facilitate the reconstruction of the bridge. The civic body’s decision to raze the full-grown trees has attracted the wrath of Koregaon Park residents. The locals claim that the removal of fully grown trees will worsen the environment's already declining green cover and result in permanent harm. The projects department had applied to the PMC’s tree authority, seeking authorization to cut down 161 trees to complete the bridge project.

After conducting a ground assessment, the department declined to allow the removal of 40 over-a-century-old banyan trees, a few foxtail palm trees, and a few rain trees, bringing the total down to 61. The citizens' letter, which was sent to the PMC highlighted points like no notices were not pasted on the trees as per the tree act and no advertisement of the same was provided in a reputed local newspaper, the residents have raised concerns about the progress on the replantation of trees that are already cut on 22nd December in Koregaon Park area for road widening, the citizens in the letter mentioned that the geotagging of trees as per high court order (PIL no 210 of 2023 of Parisar Sanrakshan Sanwardhan Sanstha & ors) is under process. Cutting any trees will be a violation of the said order, so until tagging is complete and data is submitted to court, no trees can be cut.

Rohan Desai, a resident of Koregaon Park, said, "We have forwarded the objection letter to the PMC's Dhole Patil ward office in both hard copy and soft copy, and we are anticipating a prompt response. We also anticipate receiving an alternate project plan in place of the road widening's tree-cutting plan. The ward officer has assured us a hearing on January 25.”

“When asked about the tree census and geo-tagging of tress Assistant Garden Superintendent Guruswami Tummale said that the tree census is in progress and will be completed by the end of March,” added Desai

Carolyn Irani, a senior resident of Koregaon Park, while talking to LokmatTimes.com, said, “Most recently, on 29th of December 2023, a beautiful old green tree on lane number 5, opposite the road, from New White House, Suyojna society, at the crossroads, a tree was hacked. First, a branch, then the top lopped off, and then they started on the trunk. The bark of the tree has been scrapped off so it won't give shoots. What is the reason for killing this 30-year-old tree? How can we, citizens of Koregaon Park, run around fighting with contractors and tree cutters who are like goons, ready to fight and cut the trees as we are standing there, right in front of them? How can we live our lives in peace, knowing our trees are being razed out at all corners and roads of Koregaon Park?”

“Most people have to run to and from work. Like me, they have to rely on the PMC to do the job of protecting trees. It is heartbreaking to see the hundreds of trees marked to be cut down for the new Sadhu Vaswani Bridge. If trees are also removed at this pace, Koregaon Park will be a hot desert, in the city opposite RTO, PMC has installed a water mistifier at great cost. Are they so ignorant as to believe a mystifier will replace oxygen-giving trees? What happens in summer when there's no water for the mystifier? I hope the PMC will stop cutting the trees for the wood as that resource will soon be finished,” added Irani

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) chopped down around 500 trees for various development projects in the last year, but it has "zero" records of the number of trees that have been replaced for everyone that was taken down. The agency in charge of taking down trees is required by law to plant an equivalent number of new trees to make up for the ones that are taken down. Assistant Garden Superintendent of PMC Guruswami Tummale said, “We have received the objections by the residents and a hearing is arranged by the ward officer. All the objections will be scrutinised and action will be taken accordingly.”