The Dharavi Redevelopment Project is set to transform Mumbai’s Matunga railway colonies, risking the loss of over 2,700 old trees and disturbing local biodiversity. While Central Railway residents seem resigned, Western Railway residents and activists continue to raise concerns over ecological damage, heritage loss, and extreme urban heat.
Lush green vegetation inside the Central Railway colony (left) Marked trees line the path of the Western Railway colony
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.
Resident Speak
Aditi Jayakar Kane, a local social activist, said, “Development is necessary, we understand that, but should it come at the cost of uprooting thousands of decades-old trees?” While residents of the Central Railway colony have resigned themselves to the project, those in the Western colony remain determined to resist. “We’ve been living here for decades, and the trees are older than us. “So many birds depend on this area for its green cover and the oxygen from these trees. All of that will be lost. It’s already hard to find such a serene place in the middle of this city, and now even that is about to disappear, with no one seeming to care,” said a male resident.
The redevelopment has already begun in the Central Railway colony, where a large plot is under construction and trees have already been cut. “They’ve planted saplings in exchange for cutting down age-old trees. How is that enough? The older and larger trees give us so much. These saplings will take decades to grow to that level. And what about the birds, parakeets, bats, kingfishers, that have made these trees their home? What will happen to them?” said Kane.
Natasha Pereira, another activist working alongside Kane, said, “We’re already facing severe pollution in this city. It's green covers like these that help us fight it. In the next two years, once the entire area is levelled, it won’t matter that they’re planting saplings. It’ll take far too long for those to grow and support life like the older trees do.”
She added, “It takes seconds to hack down a fully grown tree, one that houses birds, reduces temperatures, and fights pollution, but it takes decades for a sapling to grow to that capacity, and even then, only some survive. By the time we realise this, it will be too late, and we’ll be facing more intense heatwaves.”
Some trees in the area now bear notices listing the number of trees to be cut or transplanted. One such notice states that 65 trees will be felled and 120 transplanted to other locations, raising questions about whether these transplanted trees will survive. “We hope the redevelopers consider the importance of these trees — both to the residents and the local environment, and plan the project in a way that preserves as many large and old trees as possible,” said Kane.
Developer Speak
A Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL), Adani, spokesperson told mid-day, “There are over 2000 trees on the Matunga Railway Land. If any tree is to be removed, it will be in alignment with government policies and statutory government clearances. The SPV will also plant 20,000 new trees at various other locations. Additionally, the Forest Department’s approval has been sought to plant another one lakh trees within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. We are committed to the greening of not only Dharavi but also all other land parcels allotted for the project.” mid-day also contacted the BMC Garden Department for a comment but received no response from them till the time of going to press.
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