The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has put forth a proposal to divert a 7,836-square-foot plot on the outer boundary of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The aim is to widen the Shri Krishna Nagar Bridge along the Western Express Highway in Borivali (East).
The plot was previously a part of SGNP. It is now an unclassified forest. The number of trees in this area is a matter of dispute between the city body and the forest department.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change gave its in-principle approval to the proposal on August 8, 2023, as per the notice issued under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980. Engineers have confirmed that the small forest area is needed for the widening of the ageing bridge.
Forest land at SGNP has been diverted for infrastructure projects earlier too. Last year, the State Board approved soil testing in SGNP's core zone for a potential underground Thane-Borivali tunnel, which led to the removal of 122 trees.
In the past, a significant portion of the perimeter was taken for service roads and to widen the Western Express Highway. Additionally, a hectare of land was used to build a parking lot
Environmentalists have expressed concerns about the potential impact on SGNP's wildlife. They have criticised the government's approach to forest conservation and questioned the justification for using forest land for a road.
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