Metro gets 10 hectares on Pachgaon Parvati to launch afforestation drive

The Pune metro has been assigned Pachgaon Parvati land for carrying out afforestation in lieu of its project, which will affect greenery along the route.

Metro officials have been tasked with the responsibility of planting 10 trees for every tree cut.

With the project likely to affect greenery along the route, metro officials had requested the forest department and PMC to assign a land for tree plantation, and 10 hectares of land have been allotted at Pachgaon Parvati for this purpose.

Maha-Metro Managing Director Brijesh Dixit told TOI that for the first phase, the detailed project report had stated that 685 trees would be affected. However, with the change in alignment from PCMCRangehill, Pune metro has managed to reduce the number substantially and will plant as many trees on the 10 hectares of land given for afforestation.

Officials said several green initiatives such as horticulture and landscaping, use of green technology, rainwater harvesting, and automatic water recycling plants, green building construction and solar panels would be undertaken.

However, the green activists are not convinced about the metro's green drive. Activist and town planner Anita Benninger told TOI that there was no point in planting trees away from where they were being felled. She also asked why the entire stretch of Jungli Maharaj Road having good tree cover need to be affected.