A controversial patch of land in Mumbai’s Aarey Milk Colony has become a glaring example of failed urban ecology, where over 100 trees transplanted for the city’s Metro rail project have vanished without a trace. In 2017, trees felled for Metro Line 2A between Dahisar and DN Nagar were relocated to a designated site in Aarey as part of compensatory afforestation efforts. Today, that same site bears no visible evidence of the mature trees that were painstakingly shifted.
Instead, a fresh plantation drive is underway, with new saplings taking root — a move that has reignited questions about the transparency, effectiveness, and intent behind such green initiatives. Local residents and environmental observers have raised red flags. The absence of monitoring mechanisms, poor soil compatibility, and inadequate aftercare have resulted in what activists term a systematic collapse of Mumbai’s urban tree management. More than just a failure of transplantation, the case underscores deeper institutional apathy, where green cover is sacrificed for development with little regard for ecological restitution. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Tree Authority, responsible for approving and overseeing transplantation under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, has long faced criticism for lack of enforcement.
Current regulations require submission of video footage and scientific assessment before and after transplantation — yet, ground realities suggest that such rules are either bypassed or enforced perfunctorily. Experts in ecology argue that the survival of transplanted trees hinges on a host of factors — root health, soil texture, microbial composition, transplant timing, and aftercare. Large trees, particularly species with poor transplant resilience, need up to four months of preparation including root pruning, ideal soil conditions, and extended maintenance support post-planting. None of these seem to have been followed with rigour in the Aarey case.
The reused plot has become a symbol of policy double standards — where compensatory afforestation is projected as a sustainable offset but functions more as a greenwash for rapid urbanisation. The land, once used even for cattle dung drying by private contractors, now hosts fresh saplings, but with no clarity on what became of the mature trees once transplanted there. Locals allege that authorities have failed to inform relevant bodies about reusing the same location, thereby further compromising the accountability trail. Environmental advocates are calling for urgent reform: mandatory deposits of ₹1 lakh per tree felled, five-year pre-plantation before any infrastructure clearance, and oversight by an independent agency.
Without such structural changes, Mumbai’s afforestation strategy risks becoming an annual spectacle rather than a meaningful climate intervention. As Mumbai continues to push for large-scale infrastructure projects under the banner of development, the vanishing trees in Aarey serve as a quiet yet potent reminder — sustainability cannot be achieved through symbolism alone.
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