Residents and civic activists formed a human chain on Pokhran Road No. 2 in Thane on Sunday, September 6, to oppose the proposed internal circular metro project, citing concerns over tree removal, possible displacement and traffic disruption during construction.
The protest was organised by the civic platform Thane Against Integral Ring Metro between Swami Junction and Prashant Corner. The action followed a signature campaign held the previous Sunday, indicating a continuing mobilisation against the project. Office-goers, business owners and environmental activists participated in the human chain, according to the report.
The internal circular metro is being developed through the Thane Municipal Corporation and MahaMetro as a proposed transport solution for congestion in the city’s inner areas. Activists opposing the project said construction would lead to extensive tree cutting and could affect residents and traffic movement in several parts of Thane.
The protestors claimed that 3,900 trees could be removed for the project. The figure and the status of the permissions were not independently confirmed in the supplied report. Activists also alleged that replanted trees would have a low survival rate, while calling for an assessment of passenger demand on Metro Lines 4 and 5 before proceeding with the internal circular metro.
Advocate Radhika Rane, who participated in the protest, said residents should first assess ridership on Metro Lines 4 and 5 after their completion before determining whether another metro project was necessary. She also said the city needed a clean and green environment rather than the proposed internal circular metro.
Another protester, Meghna Jadhav, said the project was not necessary for Thane and urged the government to focus on environmental concerns. Her statement reflected the campaign’s central argument that the project’s mobility benefits should be weighed against its potential effects on trees and public spaces.
Activist Rohit Joshi alleged that the Tree Authority Committee had not been constituted for six months after the municipal elections, while the general body had approved the removal of 3,900 trees. He described the approval as illegal and said the committee did not include citizen representation. These allegations were not accompanied by a municipal order or other official document in the supplied report.
Joshi said he had objected to the proposed tree removal but had not been called for a hearing. He warned that he would challenge in court all tree-cutting permissions issued during the previous six months if the administration proceeded without a public hearing.
The report did not include a response from the Thane Municipal Corporation, MahaMetro or the government on the protesters’ allegations, the number of trees affected, the approval process or the project’s construction schedule. The next stated step from the protesting group is a possible legal challenge if tree removal begins without the hearing it is seeking.
