No tree felling for Joka-BBD Bag metro without Central Committee's not: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that no felling or transplantation of trees will take place for the metro rail project near Victoria Memorial in Kolkata without the explicit permission of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The directive came as a bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra, and K V Vishwanathan reviewed a plea challenging a previous decision by the Calcutta High Court, which had dismissed concerns about environmental harm caused by the project.

The plea, brought by the organization 'People United for Better Living in Calcutta,' sought to halt the construction in the Maidan area due to concerns about the felling and transplantation of over 900 trees for one of the metro stations. The petitioners expressed apprehension about the destruction of Kolkata's green cover, citing environmental damage as contrary to public interest. They emphasized that while they were not opposed to the metro project itself, they were deeply concerned about the potential environmental toll.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, countered these claims by assuring the court that no trees were being permanently felled, but rather, they were being transplanted. He stated that out of the 827 trees designated for transplantation, 94 had already been successfully moved. Mehta also highlighted that the compensatory afforestation program involved the planting of 2,370 trees to mitigate any environmental loss.

The Supreme Court bench, acknowledging the importance of the metro project, observed that any further delays would increase the overall cost. However, it directed that no further tree felling or transplantation should occur without prior approval from the CEC to address environmental concerns.

The West Bengal government and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited were given time to present their official responses. The metro project, which is part of the larger Joka-Esplanade line, has been under scrutiny due to its location near the iconic Victoria Memorial and the Maidan, a large green space in the heart of Kolkata.

Completion of the Joka-Esplanade metro line is expected to decongest roads and provide essential connectivity between Kolkata’s southwestern suburbs and the city center. A portion of the line is already operational, with trains running between Joka and Majerhat. The project, spanning 16.7 kilometers, includes a 5.05-kilometer underground section from Khidirpur to Esplanade, which is central to the dispute.