Supreme Court Greenlights Goregaon-Mulund Link Road Tree Felling Amid Compensatory Afforestation Mandate

The Supreme Court has allowed the Tree Authority to review Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's application to cut more trees for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project, conditional on thorough compensatory afforestation. The court previously approved felling 95 trees for the Film City project, but insists on strict adherence to afforestation commitments.

In a significant ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court authorized the Tree Authority to consider a new request from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for cutting additional trees to further the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, contingent upon rigorous compensatory afforestation.

Previously, the top court had sanctioned the cutting of 95 trees in Mumbai's Film City for the project, but voiced concern over the inadequate execution of compensatory afforestation in the region, cautioning the Maharashtra government against potential revocation of permissions if commitments were not met.

This decision follows a directive for the state's chief secretary to convene a meeting with relevant stakeholders to establish a clear plan for implementing compensatory efforts. The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice B R Gavai, underscored the necessity of compliance, warning of strict action against negligence in these duties.

(With inputs from agencies.)