BMC Appeals for Public Support During Roadside Tree Trimming Drive

As Mumbai gears up for the imminent monsoon season, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated the crucial task of trimming roadside trees across the city.

Emphasising the significance of this pre-emptive measure, BMC officials have urged the public to cooperate by relocating parked vehicles from areas earmarked for tree trimming activities. The primary objective behind this endeavour is to pre-emptively address the risk posed by overhanging or decaying branches during heavy rainfall. Such preventive measures not only safeguard lives but also mitigate potential financial losses incurred due to property damage caused by fallen branches.

“Public cooperation is indispensable during this tree pruning initiative to effectively mitigate these risks,” stressed a BMC official. To execute the task efficiently, the BMC has entrusted the responsibility of removing dead or hazardous trees, as well as conducting pruning activities, to private contractors. According to a recent report issued by the BMC on tree trimming activities until April 12, a total of 15,821 roadside trees have already undergone trimming. However, the task is far from complete, as there remain approximately 112,728 trees yet to be trimmed, despite the BMC’s survey of 146,744 trees across the city. Notably, Mumbai boasts a total of 186,246 trees lining its roadsides, as per the latest census data.

In a noteworthy development, the BMC’s H west ward garden department has reached out to senior police inspectors of Khar, Bandra, and Santacruz police stations, seeking their cooperation in facilitating the pre-monsoon tree trimming works. The move comes in response to instances where activists and tree conservationists have hindered such activities under the guise of environmental preservation. Acknowledging these challenges, the assistant superintendent of gardens of H west ward underscored the importance of police cooperation in ensuring the smooth execution of this essential pre-monsoon activity. The letter, dated April 10, highlights the need for concerted efforts to overcome obstacles posed by those opposing the tree trimming initiatives, emphasising the overarching goal of ensuring public safety and environmental conservation.