Goregaon-Mulund project: SC to hear BMC plea for nod to fell more trees

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to consider listing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's plea seeking a nod to fell more trees for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project subject to compensatory afforestation.

The top court had permitted the civic body's tree authority to allow felling of 95 trees for the project on August 14.

On Thursday, the BMC counsel informed the bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran that more trees are needed to be felled and this aspect be considered at the earliest, subject to compensatory afforestation.

The bench agreed to consider listing the plea for hearing.

The GMLR project aims at developing road connectivity from Western Express Highway to Eastern Express Highway to reduce travel time by almost an hour between Mulund and Goregaon.

The BMC, which is responsible for the ambitious project, sought the apex court's permission to cut the trees for the first phase of development.

The civic body had earlier assured the bench about following rules on compensatory afforestation, including those related to geo-tagging of saplings to be planted in lieu of the felled trees.