The Bombay High Court on Monday said that there should be no further removal of trees till October 16 for Metro 4 as well as for public and private projects. The removal of trees was approved in a May 22 meeting this year by the Thane Tree Authority. October 16 is the next date of hearing of the matter. The petition was filed by activist Rohit Joshi against the Tree Authority challenging the decision taken by the body regarding felling and transplantation of 3,880 trees. The petition had stated that the decision was made without following due process of law or application of mind. It also stated that the objections raised by the petitioner as well as other affected parties were not considered by the Authority and it did not provide any reasons while rejecting the same. Earlier in a stay granted on September 19 last month, the High Court had stayed the permission granted in the May 22 meeting of the Authority for removal of 1,023 trees for Kasarvadavali-Ghatkopar-Wadala Metro 4 line. This was on a petition by Thane Nagrik Pratishthan and Rohit Joshi. This stay was operational until Monday. While the Court granted an extension on the stay for removal of trees for Metro 4, it made its order broader by staying the removal of trees for the other private and public projects too. The 32.32 km line is planned to be fully elevated, and is expected to consist of 32 stations from Wadala to Kasarvadavali (Ghodbunder road, Thane) via Ghatkopar, Mulund and Teen Hath Naka, a popular traffic crossing in Thane. The project is estimated to cost Rs 14,549 crore and is expected to be completed by 2022.

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