100-year-old rare tree that was saved hacked for Metro work in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A century-old Baobab tree on SV Road, Santacruz (west), was chopped off on Saturday to carry out Metro 2 B works. Metro 2 B work is being carried out by MMRDA from DN Nagar to Mandale and the line passes through SV Road.
The cutting of the large tree created a furore on social media X with questions being raised about whether the tree had been felled or transplanted.However, BMC officials said that the tree had been permitted for cutting and hence it was not being transplanted. “The tree was cut on Saturday for Metro 2B after receiving due permission,” said a civic officer.
Some residents said that the authorities should have considered relocating the tree as it is a rare species. The Baobab is native to tropical Africa. In the city, Byculla also boasts of these trees at the entrance.
The tree in Santacurz had been on the ‘cutting list’ from 2021, but the proposal did not go through due to resistance from the then environment minister Aaditya Thackeray.
On MOnday, a livid Thackeray took to social media X, saying: ‘This is what happens when an anti Mumbai party takes over the regime. As minister for environment, I had made the @MMRDAOfficial save this tree, and the other trees also. There was no need to cut this Baobab. Take my word, the MMRDA incharge who cut this tree, will face the strongest possible punishment when we form government again. They cannot ruin my Mumbai.” The Metro 2B line is expected to cut current travel time by 50-75%.