New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the BMC to find alternate land measuring 24 acres in Mumbai or a nearby place for compensatory afforestation in lieu of felling 1,039 trees for the second-phase of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project.
On November 17, 2025, the apex court had asked the BMC’s Tree Authority to allow the felling of the trees on an urgent basis for the second phase of the link road project.
The court, however, had directed the project proponent, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to “scrupulously” follow the measures for compensatory afforestation and complete it within eight weeks.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, on Thursday, was urged by the Mumbai civic body and other authorities that it can only use three acres of land, out of a total of 27.5 acres identified inside the Sanjay Gandhi Park in Mumbai, for compensatory afforestation.
The BMC sought an extension of time for identifying and earmarking the remaining 24 acres of land somewhere near Panvel for compensatory afforestation.
Taking note of the submissions, the bench directed the BMC commissioner to file an affidavit, within two weeks, disclosing the land along with the exact location where the civic body wanted to undertake the compensatory afforestation.
The bench also asked the civic body to give a schedule for completing the exercise of identifying the land and the afforestation.
It further directed BMC to file its second affidavit on March 31 and the third on May 22, giving details of progress made on the issue. The civic body will have to submit videos of the steps taken in this regard.
The chief justice warned that a heavy penalty will be imposed on any officer found breaching the directions, and the amount will be recovered from the errant officials only.
The court has fixed the matter for further consideration on April 8.
For the first phase of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, the Supreme Court on July 29 had permitted the BMC to fell 95 trees in Mumbai’s Film City, following which it permitted the felling of 1,039 trees in the second phase, provided that the tree authority compensates afforestation “scrupulously”.
The top court, however, had taken a strong note of poor implementation of compensatory afforestation in Mumbai and warned the Maharashtra government that it would revoke all earlier permissions for felling trees for projects like the Mumbai Metro Rail and the GMLR project.
It had directed the Maharashtra chief secretary to hold a meeting with all the stakeholders and come out with a “concrete proposal as to what steps are being taken” to ensure that compensatory afforestation is carried out in letter and spirit.
Later, the chief secretary of the state and the BMC assured the bench that they will undertake compensatory afforestation exercises scrupulously, and the same will be done inside the Sanjay Gandhi Park in Mumbai.
The bench had asked the BMC and other authorities to undertake the exercise concerning other projects, including for the metro rail, with “due earnestness” and file a report in the court after 12 weeks.
The GMLR project envisages developing road connectivity from Western Express Highway to Eastern Express Highway to reduce travel time between Mulund and Goregaon by almost an hour.
The BMC had filed the plea keeping in mind the January 10 order of the top court, which had directed the civic body not allow any further tree felling in Mumbai’s Aarey colony without the court’s permission.
The top court’s earlier order, asking the BMC’s Tree Authority not to allow any further tree felling in Mumbai’s Aarey colony without its permission, was passed in connection with the car shade project of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL).
The apex court had directed the Maharashtra government to inform if there was any proposal to fell more trees in Aarey forest. It had, in 2023, permitted some forest-dwelling communities to move the Bombay High Court with their grievances over the felling of trees for the metro rail project. PTI SJK ABA SJK OZ OZ
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.