Before being axed: Young trees planted on a stretch in Koregaon Park were recently removed without any explanation to citizens, reportedly cut or uprooted for cable work, although local ward officials said they were unaware of this felling
Pune: Residents have demanded a moratorium on tree felling for infrastructure projects across the city after at least seven young trees, including native species, were reportedly cut or uprooted between Lane 7 of North Main Road in Koregaon Park and Aga Khan Bridge for underground electrical cable work recently. These trees, residents said, were part of a community plantation drive undertaken in 2024 after Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) felled 81 mature trees along the same stretch. On Dec 14, 2023, after PMC felled 81 mature trees here during road-widening work, residents said the civic body subsequently transplanted 56 trees, cut to about 5ft, far away in Hadapsar Industrial Estate. “After the road-widening was done in 2024, we approached the PMC road department to restore roadside greenery. They agreed to collaborate with us, following which residents and civic officials planted around 50 native trees, including banyan, peepal, jamun and bael on April 21, 2024,” she said. Residents said they had insisted on planting trees taller than 10ft and estimated that around 95% of the plantation survived.
Because infrastructure for watering and maintaining them was lacking, “We got authorities to plant these trees with great difficulty,. They also reported bird nesting in some of the young banyan trees in recent weeks.
Carolyn Irani, a Naylor Road resident, said residents had struggled to ensure the young trees received regular watering and care. They could have been shifted slightly, forward or behind, and saved,” she said. After around two years, the trees had finally begun flourishing after sustained efforts to water and maintain them. Residents alleged that the recent removal took place without adequate information being shared with citizens about the reasons for the action or permissions obtained. We had to follow up for years to ensure the trees were watered. They had just started growing well and developing a canopy when they were removed. The latest incident revived concerns over loss of greenery along the stretch. None of the transplanted trees survived, informed Vijaya Suratkal, a resident involved in the plantation drive in Koregaon Park, citing inadequate transplantation methods and aftercare by authorities.