The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to acquire a 22-acre site at Film City in Goregaon to set up a casting yard and a boring machine for a tunnel linking Mulund and Goregaon. This initiative will involve cutting down approximately 700 trees, prompting opposition from environmentalists. Film City, adjacent to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, is a wildlife haven. The project has yet to receive final approvals, and concerns have been raised regarding deforestation and prior commitments to compensatory afforestation. The planned 6.3-kilometre tunnel aims to cut travel time significantly, with a completion target set for October 2028.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is pursuing a 22-acre plot at the entrance of Film City in Goregaon to establish a casting yard and a site for a boring machine necessary for a planned tunnel between Mulund and Goregaon. To facilitate this project, the civic body intends to cut down approximately 700 trees, with notices already affixed to many of them.
Film City is situated adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), which is home to diverse wildlife, including leopards, deer, sambar, and nilgai. Peacocks and leopards frequently wander into the Film City area. Ashok Mali, the assistant engineer overseeing the project, mentioned that they aim to initiate the shaft from the requested land and have sought permission from Film City. He indicated that the decision on the trees would be made by the tree authority, with options for either transplantation or removal.
Swati Mhase-Patil, managing director of Film City, confirmed that BMC has requested the land parcel but a decision has yet to be reached. Environmentalist D Stalin from the NGO Vanshakti has expressed strong opposition to the tree removal, voicing concerns in a letter to the BMC and the state forest department. He highlighted the disturbing trend of granting permissions for tree cutting across Mumbai without any visible compensatory afforestation efforts, especially given the city's ongoing struggles with heat and pollution. He pointed out that previous promises related to tree cover restoration for projects like Metro 3 have not been fulfilled.
Stalin emphasised that Film City lies within the eco-sensitive zone of SGNP, noting that it has reportedly occupied over 51 acres of forest land illegally, refusing to return it to the forest department. Earlier plans by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for a link road from Goregaon to Mulund through SGNP evolved into a proposal for a 6.3-kilometre tunnel connecting Film City and Khindipada in Bhandup, which is now under BMC's responsibility.
The detailed project report (DPR) and alignment options for the Goregaon-Mulund link road were developed by PADECO India. The project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, with a deadline set for October 2028. It is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mulund and Goregaon from over an hour to just 20 minutes, marking the second tunnel project beneath SGNP.
The BMC's project at Film City has sparked considerable debate over environmental conservation versus urban development. With potential impacts on local wildlife and ongoing deforestation concerns, it remains to be seen how the civic body will balance infrastructural needs with ecological responsibilities. The successful execution of the project hinges on addressing these critical issues.
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