India’s environmental court has stepped into the debate over large-scale tree removal linked to a proposed elevated road corridor along Mumbai’s Eastern Express Highway, seeking clarity from the city’s civic administration before deciding whether to formally examine the matter. The move places renewed focus on how infrastructure expansion is balanced against ecological protection in one of the country’s most climate-vulnerable metros.
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to submit a detailed report outlining how a citizen representation opposing the removal and transplantation of hundreds of roadside trees was handled. The tribunal indicated that a response from the civic body is necessary to assess procedural compliance before the case is taken up for substantive hearing. The challenge has been raised by a local resident and legal practitioner from Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, where the elevated corridor is planned to originate. The petition questions the decision to permit the removal and relocation of more than 700 mature trees for the highway project, arguing that the scale of intervention could have lasting environmental and public health implications for surrounding neighbourhoods.
According to the application, the project is intended to ease congestion on the Eastern Express Highway, a critical north–south arterial route. However, urban planners note that transport solutions focused primarily on road expansion often carry hidden ecological costs, particularly when they result in the loss of established tree cover that helps regulate urban heat, manage air pollution, and reduce flood risk. A key concern raised relates to the functioning of the civic Tree Authority. The petition alleges that public consultation requirements were inadequately met, limiting meaningful citizen participation in decisions affecting shared environmental assets. It also questions whether the authority was constituted with the expert representation mandated under state law, a safeguard designed to ensure scientifically informed decisions.
Environmental data cited in the plea points to a broader trend of declining green cover across Mumbai over recent years, largely driven by infrastructure and real estate projects. Urban climate specialists warn that incremental losses, when aggregated, weaken the city’s resilience to extreme heat and intense rainfall — risks that are projected to intensify with climate change. The application further flags concerns around tree transplantation, referencing past projects where survival rates were reportedly low. Experts argue that while transplantation is often presented as mitigation, it cannot fully substitute for the ecosystem services provided by mature trees rooted in their original locations.
The tribunal has asked the civic body to place its response on record ahead of the next hearing. The outcome could influence how future infrastructure projects in Mumbai approach environmental clearances, public disclosure, and compensatory planning. As Mumbai continues to invest heavily in transport infrastructure, the case underscores a growing expectation that development decisions must align with transparent governance and long-term ecological resilience — not only to move people faster, but to safeguard the city’s liveability for future generations.
NGT Flags Tree Loss Concerns On Mumbai Highway Project
