Navi Mumbai: In a major step towards protecting the city’s green cover and reducing the risk of trees falling during heavy rain and strong winds, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Head Office has ordered the removal of concrete, asphalt and paver blocks around trees across Navi Mumbai.
Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde has directed civic departments to ensure that trees have adequate open soil around their trunks so that their roots can absorb water and grow properly. The move follows an expert meeting that examined the reasons behind tree and branch falls during the monsoon.
One Metre of Open Space Around Trees
Under the new instructions, every existing tree should have at least one metre of open space around its trunk.
For larger trees, the civic body has directed officials to create tree pits measuring at least 1.5 metres. The soil inside these pits should remain around six inches below the surrounding ground level.
The surrounding surface should also be designed with a slope towards the tree pit. This will allow rainwater to reach the soil and percolate towards the roots instead of simply flowing away over concrete or asphalt.
The NMMC has also prohibited the construction of brick or cement structures around these open tree pits.
Concrete Around Trees Identified as a Major Problem
Experts and civic officials identified excessive concreting around trees as one of the factors that can contribute to tree falls.
When the area surrounding a tree trunk is covered with concrete, asphalt or paver blocks, rainwater has less opportunity to enter the soil. Restricted root space can also affect the development and stability of the root system.
Other factors identified during the assessment include:
- Damage to roots during development work
- Excavation for utility lines
- Unscientific tree pruning
- Inadequate sunlight
- Planting unsuitable tree species
- Excessive concreting around tree bases
The civic body’s latest campaign aims to address these issues and improve the long-term health and stability of Navi Mumbai’s trees.
Citywide Tree Survey to Begin
As part of the special drive, the NMMC will conduct a citywide survey of trees and identify locations where concrete, asphalt or paver blocks have been installed around tree trunks.
These hard surfaces will then be removed to restore open soil and provide trees with sufficient space for root growth and water absorption.
The initiative is particularly significant during the monsoon, when strong winds and heavy rainfall can expose weaknesses in trees and their root systems.
Rules for Excavation Near Trees Tightened
The NMMC’s instructions also cover infrastructure and utility work carried out near trees.
Excavation for cables, water pipelines, sewerage systems and gas lines will have to be undertaken under the supervision of garden officials. Where required, permission from the Tree Officer will also have to be obtained to ensure that tree roots are not unnecessarily damaged.
If development work requires a tree to be cut or transplanted, the necessary approval from the Tree Authority will continue to be mandatory.
The civic body has also warned that unauthorised tree felling or actions causing damage to trees can attract legal action under the Maharashtra tree protection law.
Native Trees to Get Priority in New Plantations
The new directions are not limited to protecting existing trees. The NMMC has also instructed departments to give preference to native tree species when carrying out new plantations.
Scientific pruning has also been emphasised to ensure that trees are not weakened unnecessarily.
The corporation has prescribed plantation norms based on road width. Roads wider than 24 metres should have trees at 10-metre intervals, while roads between 12 and 24 metres should have trees on both sides at similar intervals. Roads between six and 12 metres should have trees at 20-metre intervals.
Focus on Safer and Greener Navi Mumbai
The latest move signals a shift towards giving Navi Mumbai’s existing trees more space to survive and grow naturally rather than surrounding them with hard surfaces.
By removing concrete and paver blocks, improving rainwater absorption and protecting roots during development work, the civic body hopes to strengthen trees and reduce monsoon-related tree and branch falls.
The upcoming citywide survey and removal drive will now determine how widely these measures are implemented across Navi Mumbai.
