Mumbai adopts 2,000 plants orphaned by Metro III construction

Subhajit Mukherjee digs up plants to be transplanted

A small group of Mumbaikars has been hacking away at a key environmental concern: how to save all the greenery on the proposed Dahisar-DN Nagar Metro corridor from falling prey to infrastructure development. And they have struck upon a plan that is already on its way to success.

While the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is taking measures to transplant 465 trees on the new link road between Dahisar and Andheri, all affected by the Metro line, the small, wiry landscape plants and shrubs that dot median strips on the stretch will have no such luck. As per the MMRDA's plan, these will end up on the chopping block since their primary purpose is ornamentation.

A resident digs a spot to plant an adopted tree

Every plant counts
Eight members of River March, a citizens' group that is working to revive Mumbai's rivers, took on the laborious task of giving this green cover of about 2,000 plants new homes in residential complex­es. They hope they are able to encourage more citizens to take the ‘orphans' home.

Sagar Vira, a resident of Chikuwadi in Borivli, and member of River March, says he has adopted 25 plants from the link road median near Kandivli.

Metro workers dig up the plants to be transported

"The MMRDA authorities are concerned with the big trees. The small plants will be uprooted and left to die if there is no intervention. The 25 trees I adopted were replanted in my residential complex," he says of the tedious work the group took on with loving care on March 16.

Dr Subhajit Mukherjee, an environmentalist, who has been assisting the forest department with this year's Van Mahotsav celebrations, is also pitching in.

The plants being nurtured in a housing society compound

He says over 720 plants have already been adopted and transplanted across housing societies. "More than 20 housing societies from Borivli, Ghatkopar, Kandivli and Goregaon, among others, have come forward. We have got over 1,000 phone calls from those interested in adopting them."

Ten days ago, with support from chartered accountant Bharat Desai, a resident of Malad, Mukherjee decided to save a few Ficus trees that were dying along the Malad Link Road at the Metro construction site. Desai adopted 60 of these to plant in his society. "Due to this effort, we received support from the River March group, and with the help from their volunteers, we were able to dig out plants from the divider," said Mukherjee.

Bharat Desai adopted 60 trees

Where it all started
MMRDA chief engineer Yashpal Mehta, who is overseeing the Metro construction work, helped by directing site workers to help residents in their efforts. "Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) project director Pradeep Kumar Sha­rma motivated us by offering additional support. Janardan Mane from the BMC off­e­red us logistic help and labour. Yogesh Sagar [MLA] offered us volunteers," Mukherjee said.

A responsible Mumbaikar transports the plants in an auto

In the last one week, more than 30 residential societies have adopted these plants and more than 300 individual donors have come forward to take some plants home. Mukherjee hopes the effort has a domino effect and plants affected across the entire corridor find takers.