Mumbai: The tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday cleared proposals to fell 1,457 trees and transplant 1,297 trees across Mumbai to make way for a host of infrastructure projects, including the redevelopment of Dharavi, slum rehabilitation projects in Powai and Ghatkopar, an Adani Electricity substation, and residential buildings inside the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay premises.BMC nod for felling 1,457 trees, transplanting 1,297 trees for 11 infra projectsLeader of the House Ganesh Khankar said that while the tree authority cleared 11 proposals, four proposals for axing/ transplanting trees were sent back for want of more details and to explore if the number of affected trees could be reduced.The four deferred proposals pertained to a road between Old Mandala and New Mandala in Mankhurd, excavation and pathway work for a redevelopment project at Cumballa Hill and Breach Candy and the upcoming Reserve Bank of India (RBI) colony in Malad,“We told them (the administration) to see if the number of trees lost can be reduced,” Khankar said.Among the proposals approved by the tree authority, corporators from opposition parties raised objections over the Dharavi redevelopment project. Harshala More, a Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator, alleged that tree-felling had already begun prior to the authority’s approval, and demanded that members of the authority be taken on a site visit to verify the locations identified for compensatory plantation. Civic officials made a note of More’s demands.AIMIM group leader and member of the tree authority, Vijay Ubale, alleged that the proposal for felling/ transplanting trees for the Dharavi redevelopment project was approved despite the concerns raised by several corporators from opposition parties.Khankar backed the approvals, saying infrastructure and redevelopment projects should not be stalled. “We have to clear these proposals to ensure development does not stop,” he said.Only one of the 11 approved proposals, pertaining to a slum rehabilitation project in Powai, attracted objections and suggestions from the public, under section 8(3) of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975.Referring to the proposed transplantation of 82 trees for the project, two citizens claimed that the project developer had neither attended the public hearing nor responded to their concerns about the low rate of survival of transplanted trees.The tree authority, which has 13 elected corporators and senior BMC officials as members, also approved a proposal to appoint expert members to the panel. It constituted a committee headed by the Additional Municipal Commissioner (eastern suburbs) to scrutinise applications from experts in agriculture, botany, environmental science, horticulture, arboriculture and allied disciplines, with preference to candidates holding higher qualifications.Khankar said that suggestions were also made during the meeting for the BMC to procure cranes for every ward through CSR funds, to aid the pruning and transplantation of trees.Approved proposals K West Ward – Expansion of Terminal 2, CSMIATrees on site: 111Trees to be felled: 33Trees to be transplanted: 50Compensatory plantation: 1,319 trees within MumbaiR North Ward (Dahisar) – Redevelopment of management centreTrees on site: 933Trees to be felled: 111Trees to be transplanted: 12Compensatory plantation: 736 trees within MumbaiR North Ward (Charkop) – Adani Electricity substationTrees to be felled: 34Trees to be transplanted: 25Compensatory plantation: 736 trees within MumbaiR Central Ward (Magathane) – Development projectTrees on site: 516Trees to be felled: 228Trees to be transplanted: 92Compensatory plantation: 5,300 trees within MumbaiD Ward – Orange Gate-Eastern Freeway Tunnel to Marine Drive Coastal Road (Package E)Trees to be felled: 3Trees to be transplanted: 63Compensatory plantation: 1,440 trees in BhiwandiS Ward (Powai) – Two residential buildings, IIT BombayTrees on site: 260Trees to be felled: 49Trees to be transplanted: 111Compensatory plantation: Within MumbaiS Ward (Powai) – SRA ProjectTrees on site: 144Trees to be felled: 44Trees to be transplanted: 82Compensatory plantation: 1,895 trees within MumbaiTwo objections were received.N Ward (Ghatkopar) – SRA ProjectTrees to be felled: 29Trees to be transplanted: 8Compensatory plantation: 629 trees within MumbaiG North Ward – Dharavi redevelopment ProjectTrees to be felled: 871, including 24 heritage treesTrees to be transplanted: 822Compensatory plantation: 22,904 trees outside MumbaiR Central Ward (Poisar) – Development projectTrees to be felled: 33Trees to be transplanted: 8Compensatory plantation: 1,031 trees within MumbaiR Central Ward (Magathane) – Development projectTrees on site: 71Trees to be felled: 22Trees to be transplanted: 16Compensatory plantation: 605 trees within Mumbai