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Mumbai: The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to remove 95 trees for a major road project near Mumbai’s Aarey forest, stressing the need to strike a balance between environmental conservation and the country’s developmental priorities.
The approval, granted by a bench led by Chief Justice of India Bhushan R. Gavai, pertains to the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, which passes through Film City, an area bordering the Aarey forest belt. The decision follows a January order that had barred any tree cutting in the region without explicit court clearance.
While permitting the felling of the initial batch of trees, the court made it clear that none could be removed until the BMC submits an afforestation plan and a technical report from IIT-Bombay. It also reaffirmed that sustainable development must underpin all such infrastructure initiatives.
The BMC informed the court that up to 1,000 trees might ultimately be affected by the project, but only 95 are earmarked for the first phase. The matter will be reviewed further on August 12, when the civic body’s detailed submissions are expected.
Environmental groups opposed the move, arguing that thousands of trees have already been lost in the Aarey area without adequate compensatory planting measures.
In response, the Chief Justice acknowledged the need for cautious progress, noting that major urban projects, such as Mumbai’s Atal Setu bridge, inevitably involve some environmental cost but ultimately benefit the wider public by improving connectivity and easing travel.
The court reaffirmed that while preserving green spaces is vital, critical infrastructure must advance in a measured way to support urban growth and public needs.
