The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) tree committee on Friday (May 29) cleared a proposal that would allow cutting and transplanting of 1,992 trees to make way for the Mumbai coastal project. The proposal doesn’t include the additional 6,000 mangroves that will be cut for this project. The BMC secured permission to cut the mangroves from the Bombay High Court (HC) and the state forest department last year.Meanwhile, of the 1992 trees that will be chopped by the tree committee, 726 will be cut, while 1,266 will be transplanted at a land parcel in Powai.Of the 1992 trees affected, 815 are in Malad, 323 are in Goregaon, 321 will be in Andheri West and Versova region.Officials said that the proposal for cutting trees for the coastal road project is being tabled on in two phases, and on Friday, the first phase was cleared.“The proposal is being tabled in a phased manner since we have to maintain the ratio of compensatory plantation as well. For instance, for cutting and transplanting these 1992 trees we will be planting 20,330 trees as compensation in Panvel at the Raigad district. So we sent the proposal to the tree committee only after we had acquired the land parcel for planting these many trees,” an official privy to the project told the Indian Express. Furthermore, the official also stated that the compensatory plantation will be carried out by the state government’s forest development corporation (FDC) who will be responsible for taking care of the saplings and trees for a period of seven years.“The proposal for cutting the trees in the next phase will be sent to the committee only after we find a land parcel,” the official added.The proposed second phase of the coastal road will connect Versova with Bhayander in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and has been divided into six different packages. Package A will cover 4.5 km between Versova and Bangur Nagar (Goregaon), package B will cover 1.66 km between Bangur Nagar and Mindspace (Malad). The packages C and D will include twin tunnels – 3.9 km long – connecting mindspace at Malad with Charkop in Kandivali. Package E will be 3.78 km, connecting Charkop with Gorai and the final package F will be 3.69 km will connect Gorai with Dahisar.Pegged at Rs 25,000 crore, the phase 2 of Mumbai coastal road will be a 25 KM-long high speed corridor comprising underground tunnels, cable-stayed bridges and vehicular interchanges. The alignment of the road has been planned in such a way that it will traverse through mangrove patches, creeks and forest zones. As a result, a significant proportion of green cover is set to be affected.Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:BMC