Locals tie rakhis in bid to save trees

Mumbai: Over a hundred residents of Breach Candy and nearby areas in South Mumbai on Sunday tied rakhis to trees at Tata Garden to protect the 225 trees, which are to be cut for the Coastal Road.

The SoBo (South Bombay) residents are demanding that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shift the Breach Candy exit of the project to Scandal Point, which is located next to Tata Garden.

The BMC’s chief engineer of Coastal Road, however, slammed the SoBo residents, stating that they were worried only about the scenery in front of their homes and not the convenience of Mumbaikars.  

As per BMC’s final design of the project, the Breach Candy exit of the road goes right in the middle of the 1000 sq m Tata Garden.

The Breach Candy Welfare Group who had called for the protest on Sunday is demanding to shift the exit to the adjacent open area called Scandal point.

Dr Nilesh Baxi, the organizer said, “When the Coastal Road design was published we assumed that the exit will go from Scandal point as it is an open land. However, in December 2018 we saw the markings in Tata Garden and learnt that 200 healthy trees inside the garden and 25 outside the gate will be cut for the exit. We are demanding the BMC to shift the exit to adjacent Scandal point”.

Activists across the city are protesting against mass trees cutting for several infrastructure projects. On Saturday too a human chain was organized at Marine drive protesting against reclamation, trees cutting etc.   

However, a senior BMC officer slammed the SoBo residents and said, “It is too late to change any design. The SoBo residents should think of benefit of Mumbaikars. The Coastal Road will save a lot of traveling time.”