The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) has come under the spotlight following revelations from a Right to Information (RTI) application, which disclosed that the organisation has spent INR 12.01 crore on tree planting along the Metro 3 (Aqua Line) corridor, spanning from Colaba to SEEPZ.
Concerns have emerged due to MMRCL’s failure to provide detailed information on the actual number of trees planted. The RTI application, filed by Godfrey Pimenta, Founder of the Watchdog Foundation, on June 26, 2024, highlighted discrepancies in the data provided by MMRCL. The MMRCL’s response to the RTI request was incomplete, as it failed to provide the location-wise details of the planted trees, despite indicating such information would be included as an annexure.
According to the RTI response dated July 18, 2024, the expenditure is segmented into various packages Tree Package 19 (covering Dharavi to SEEPZ) at INR 3.39 crore, Tree Package 20 (from Mumbai Central to Shitaladevi) at INR 3.37 crore, and Tree Package 21 (spanning Cuffe Parade to Grant Road) at INR 4.94 crore. Each package includes costs for the supply, delivery, plantation, and maintenance of trees. While MMRCL claims to have planted 23,523 trees, the cost per tree is reported at INR 5,108. This figure raises eyebrows given that standard rates for similar activities are significantly lower.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set a rate of INR 800 per tree, while industry norms suggest that costs should not exceed INR 200 per tree, inclusive of all preparatory work. The MMRCL had previously announced that the Metro 3 project would necessitate the removal of 5,012 trees, with plans to replant 3,681 of these elsewhere in the city. The project’s contractual agreements mandate that consortia responsible for construction must replant three times the number of trees felled and maintain these for a minimum of three years.
In addition to mandatory planting, MMRCL had pledged to donate 25,000 saplings to various institutions, including housing societies, hospitals, and schools along the metro line. Despite these commitments, the lack of transparency and clarity regarding the actual execution of the tree planting initiative has raised concerns among environmental advocates and the public. This scrutiny underscores the need for MMRCL to provide clearer and more detailed reporting on its environmental commitments, ensuring that sustainable practices are upheld in infrastructure development projects.
