The future of Mumbai’s much-awaited Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR) now hinges on a Supreme Court hearing that will decide whether the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) can proceed with felling additional trees required for the project. The civic body has sought the Court’s permission, assuring that every felled tree will be compensated through a transparent afforestation programme.
The apex court had earlier granted clearance for cutting 95 trees in August, subject to strict conditions on compensatory afforestation. However, with the first phase of tunnelling and surface connectivity nearing implementation, officials have informed the Court that more trees need to be cleared to continue work without disruption. The civic counsel urged the bench to prioritise the matter, stating that any further delay could push back project timelines. The GMLR project is among Mumbai’s most ambitious east–west connectivity corridors, designed to link the Western Express Highway in Goregaon with the Eastern Express Highway in Mulund. Once completed, it is expected to slash the current 60- to 75-minute travel time between the two suburbs to just 15–20 minutes, easing congestion on north–south arterial roads and reducing vehicular emissions.
Urban mobility experts argue that while the project is critical for decongesting the city, its ecological footprint must remain under scrutiny. Environmentalists have repeatedly highlighted the need to balance infrastructure expansion with biodiversity conservation, particularly in green zones such as the Aarey and Sanjay Gandhi National Park fringes that border sections of the project alignment. BMC officials maintain that the civic authority is committed to compensatory afforestation measures, including the geo-tagging of saplings and the use of local native species to restore ecological balance. They emphasised that the project adheres to environmental guidelines and has been reviewed under multiple sustainability parameters.
For a metropolis like Mumbai, which is racing to modernise its infrastructure while grappling with climate vulnerability, projects such as the GMLR underscore the city’s larger sustainability challenge — how to build faster without compromising green cover. The Court’s forthcoming decision will determine whether the balance between urban growth and ecological responsibility can be achieved in practice, not just in principle. As the Supreme Court prepares to list the plea for hearing, the city waits to see whether infrastructure ambition or environmental caution will define the next phase of Mumbai’s connectivity transformation.
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