Now Reading: Carmichael Rd residents fight to save heritage banyan tree
-
01
Carmichael Rd residents fight to save heritage banyan tree
A residents' group on Carmichael Road in Mumbai is battling to save a giant heritage banyan tree on a one-acre plot now owned by Mah-Hill Properties, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. The…
A residents' group on Carmichael Road in Mumbai is battling to save a giant heritage banyan tree on a one-acre plot now owned by Mah-Hill Properties, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. The land, bought for Rs 170 crore last year from the Gamadia family heirs, was once earmarked for a children's park but is now zoned residential. The Carmichael Road Residents Association has written to the BMC's Tree Authority and invoked the Maharashtra Trees Act, 1975, which requires permission even from landowners to cut trees over 50 years old.
Residents recently spotted debris being dumped around the tree, which they said could asphyxiate it. Municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide confirmed that a proposal to cut or transplant trees on the site is under consideration by the Tree Authority Committee. Horticulturist Robert Fernandes noted that if the developer is sensitive, the tree could be saved by redesigning construction around it. The banyan produces about 274 litres of oxygen daily and supports local biodiversity.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This fight highlights a gap in Mumbai's tree protection regime: the Tree Authority can approve tree removal even for heritage trees, and there is no automatic stay when residents object. Under the Maharashtra Trees Act, the Tree Officer's permission is the only hurdle before a landowner can fell a tree. The banyan's age, likely over a century, makes it a heritage tree under BMC rules, but that status alone does not guarantee preservation. The next step is the Tree Authority Committee's decision on the developer's proposal. If permission is granted, residents may have to approach the Bombay High Court for a stay. Watch for the committee's meeting agenda in the coming weeks.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
