Bombay HC allows MMRC, TMC to clear 1,700 trees for metro, road works

The Bombay High Court on Friday permitted the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) and Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to cut and transplant over 1,700 trees to build Metro Line 4 and for renovation of Thane district court as well as road widening projects.

A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and R I Chagla took into consideration the enormity of the projects and the fact that they were in public interest.

The bench was hearing a bunch of petitions challenging permissions granted by TMC's tree authority to cut 36 trees and transplant over 900 more for an eight-km patch along the proposed Metro-4 line and the other projects.

"The projects are in public interest. Road widening projects would decongest bottlenecks at vital junctions," the court said.

The bench added renovation of Thane district court was also important considering delay in trials in offences related to children and women.

The bench vacated stay granted in September by another bench of the high court on cutting and transplanting of trees.

The court will hear the matter further on January 21.