PMC to cut 80 trees for road widening on North Main Road in Koregaon Park ; residents & activists infuriated

By: Pune Pulse

December 14, 2023

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to remove 80 trees for a road widening project in the Koregaon Park area.

Speaking to Pune Pulse, a PMC Road Department official, requesting anonymity said, “We have got the permission to cut 80 trees for road widening in Koregaon Park from Rajput Dairy to Kalyani Nagar as they are proving a major hindrance for the project. The proposed widening will be 24 m wide, 12 m on one side & 12 m on the other. Hence, for that, as many as 80 trees are on the road coming in the way of the project.  The widening project has already begun.”

Residents & activists express opinion:

Aarti Kataria, resident of Koregaon Park, said, “Cutting those branches which are dangling or are at a hazardous position is fine but it is not right to cut entire trees. If the PMC is doing this, it is an injustice as trees are also living beings.”

Rohan Desai, a resident of Koregaon Park said, “Due to current climatic changes here, the temperature of Koregaon Park has risen. Earlier, the temperature of Koregaon Park was lower than usual. Hence, such works, if unplanned, will only increase the issue. PMC promises to replant trees wherever trees are cut, which never happens. Hence, with proper planning, such projects must be done without cutting trees or harming the environment.”

Ameet Singh, Pune citizen activist & core member of Pune River Revival, took it to X, “All the trees at North Main Road, Koregaon Park were chopped at night. Pune had zero sewage, air pollution, or garbage going to landfill issues until 1990. How come in less than 30 years Pune produces over 2200 tons of garbage/day? 163 crore liters of sewage which gets dumped into rivers & AQI which is above 100 for over 200 days of the year. This happens despite there being a budget of Rs 10,000 crores for Pune Municipal Corporation per annum. What’s going on? It makes more sense to take a pause on development and address these issues first. Stop felling trees. Think differently on how to develop the city.”

Shreyas Vange