The Matunga railway colonies of Central and Western Railways are now facing the consequences of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project being carried out by the Adani Group. The project aims to level the entire railway colony area and reconstruct transit homes and other railway quarters, to provide housing for those being relocated from Dharavi, as well as railway employees.

Residents of the Central Railway colony appear to have given up, having no say in the Railways’ decision to hand over the land for redevelopment. A Central Railway employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told mid-day, “We do not have the power to fight the authorities on their decision to move us. But we don’t want the area to be destroyed. There are thousands of trees here that have been around for decades, and we are now scared for them.”

The WR quarters, being the largest railway heritage quarter in Mumbai, is a 1 km-long stretch filled with trees and the constant chirping of birds. Residents claim the trees in the area provide much-needed relief during the sweltering summer months. The colony alone is home to around 2700 trees, of which approximately 1900 are large and old, including Badam, Coconut, Banyan, Pipal, Mango, and several other species.