# Activist challenges Thane tree removal notice, seeks fresh survey 2026-08-27T00:56:16+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Environment activist Rohit Joshi has flagged alleged lapses in the Thane Municipal Corporation Tree Authority's notice seeking public objections to displacing 339 trees for the MMRDA's Kasarvadavali, Kharbao creek bridge project. The notice proposes cutting 242 trees and transplanting 97, but the project developer's Form C application and GPS inventory reportedly list all 339 for cutting. Joshi questioned the identification of nine trees marked as unidentified and raised concerns over removing about 70 ecologically important trees without assessing their significance. He noted no tree authority has been formed in Thane and no public representative is on the panel. "We have sought an independent assessment of the trees likely to be displaced including detailed disclosure of transplantation and plantation sites, else we would approach the high court," Joshi said. A response from the civic administration was awaited. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Tree Authority Act requires municipal corporations to constitute a tree authority with public representatives before approving mass tree removal. Thane has not formed one since the act came into force in Maharashtra in 2022. The Kasarvadavali, Kharbao creek bridge is part of the MMRDA's wider road-widening plan aimed at decongesting the Ghodbunder Road corridor. Roughly 339 trees on a 1.5 km stretch are now at stake. The next step is the public hearing scheduled by the civic body, but if the tree authority is not formed first, any clearance it grants could face legal challenge in the Bombay High Court. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Leads with activist's allegations rather than civic body's response, which is absent This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Bombay High Court, MMRDA, Rohit Joshi, Thane, Thane Municipal Corporation Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/activist-challenges-thane-tree-removal-notice-seeks-fresh-survey/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/activist-challenges-thane-tree-removal-notice-seeks-fresh-survey/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/