Pune Metro Routes to Nigdi, Katraj, Wagholi May Lead to Felling of 2,386 Trees
Pune, 5th April 2026: The expansion of the Pune Metro has raised environmental concerns, as around 2,386 trees are expected to be cut for upcoming projects. Under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Tree Protection and Preservation Act, 1975, MahaMetro is required to plant nearly 41,000 trees as compensatory plantation.
However, officials have indicated that there is limited space available in Pune to plant such a large number of trees. MahaMetro has written to various government agencies seeking land for plantation, highlighting the growing shortage of open spaces in the city. This has raised questions about where these compensatory trees will actually be planted.
The metro expansion includes proposed routes such as Pimpri-Chinchwad to Nigdi, Swargate to Katraj, Vanaz to Chandni Chowk, and Ramwadi to Wagholi. New corridors including Khadakwasla–Kharadi and Nal Stop–Manik Baug are also under consideration. These projects together are expected to impact around 2,386 trees.
Environmental experts say that compensatory plantation is an important measure but can be difficult to implement effectively in urban areas due to limited space. They also point out that mature trees provide far greater ecological benefits than newly planted saplings, which take several years to grow and become effective.
In previous metro projects, around 21,000 saplings were reportedly planted as part of compensatory plantation efforts. However, many of them did not survive due to inadequate maintenance and lack of proper watering.
Experts have stressed that along with planting trees, greater emphasis must be placed on ensuring their long-term survival and care.
