Citizens gather outside PCMC headquarters to protest against the proposed cutting of 200+ trees for a road project. Full story on puneripages.in.
By Prashant for PuneriPages.in
On Monday, I witnessed something powerful unfold at the PCMC headquarters. The room was packed—not just with officials, but with voices. Real people. Citizens, environmental activists, and local residents, all fired up, came together with one purpose: to save the trees. The public hearing about PCMC’s proposal to cut and transplant over 200 trees for a road project turned into an emotional civic battle.
Table of Contents
Project at a Glance
- What: Proposal to cut/transplant trees for a road widening project
- How Many: 207 trees to be cut, 80 to be transplanted
- Where: Sangvi-Kiwale BRTS Road, near the Aundh-Ravet corridor
- Why: To widen roads and expand the BRTS network, supposedly to ease traffic
- Who Decides: The PCMC Tree Authority Committee, under the Maharashtra Protection and Preservation of Trees Act
Citizens’ Case: Rooted in Deep Concern
1. A Broken and Unfair Process
What shocked me most was how unaware people were until the last minute. The PCMC published the public notice in a corner of a newspaper barely anyone reads. No social media announcements, no community outreach.
One voice really stayed with me—Anuradha Joshi from the Green Pune Movement. She said, “This hearing feels like a mere formality. The decision seems to have already been made behind closed doors. We are here to put our dissent on the official record.”
There wasn’t even an accessible Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. How are people supposed to make informed objections without access to the basic documents?
2. Were Alternatives Even Considered?
It felt like PCMC had already made up its mind. Realignment of the road? Designing around heritage trees? Nothing seemed to be on the table. One speaker from the National Society for Clean Cities summed it up perfectly: “Is it necessary to compromise on decades-old trees to solve a traffic problem? There are smarter, greener ways.”
3. The Tree Transplantation Myth
I’ll admit—I used to think transplanting trees was a good middle ground. But arborist Amit Desai shattered that illusion. He told us that in Pune, less than 20% of transplanted trees survive beyond two years.
“Tree transplantation sounds good on paper, but in reality, it’s a slow death for most trees,” he said. “The roots are damaged, and they rarely adapt to the new environment.”
PCMC’s Take on It All
PCMC officials tried defending the plan. One of them told us that the BRTS corridor is essential infrastructure and that compensatory plantations would happen. But when asked about why smarter engineering solutions weren’t considered to protect green zones, there were only vague answers.
No clear response. Just silence.
What Is the Tree Authority Committee, Really?
On paper, the Tree Authority Committee under Maharashtra’s Tree Act is supposed to:
- Publish notices
- Invite public objections
- Hold hearings
- Evaluate feedback before making a decision
But what’s the point of this process if people don’t even know it’s happening? If decisions are made before feedback is even heard? It felt less like a hearing and more like a checkbox exercise.
So, What Now?
The Tree Authority Committee is supposed to take all the objections and make a final decision soon. But everyone in that room knew—if PCMC pushes this through, the fight won’t end. Activists have already said they’re prepared to take legal action.
Final Thoughts: Why This Moment Matters
To someone passing by, it might look like a protest about trees. But this was about something bigger—transparency, fairness, and what kind of Pune we’re building.
One activist said something that really hit home: “This isn’t just about trees. It’s about the kind of city we want to live in.”
And I couldn’t agree more.
Let’s not lose our green just to gain a few lanes.
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