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Superintendent of Garden V S Dande said: “The trees are being pruned so that helicopters and photographers get a clear view of the race. Also, it was necessary to check all the trees on the tracks to avert any accidents.”
Dande maintained that so far tree branches between CST and Churchgate Station have been cut. “Plans are to trim trees up to Mahim and a few along the highway,” he said.
However, residents living in near Fort said that ‘trimming or pruning’ was a misnomer “because large branches of more that six inch diametre had been chopped off from several trees”.
Bijal Shah, a resident of Fountain said, “Since last Tuesday, trees are being ‘pruned’ ruthlessly in D N Road, Fountain and Churchgate areas. Near the Standard Chartered Bank building on D N Road, branches of a 70-year-old Peepal tree were cut on Saturday. Another Banyan tree outside Khadi Bhandar also faced the axe. These are old trees and may not be able to survive the cutting of such large branches.”
U N Singh, a horticulturist and member of the tree authority said, “When live branches more than three inches in diameter are trimmed, the tree receives a severe shock. Ideally, pruning should be done only when a tree needs to be shaped or given a balance so that it doesn’t uproot during heavy rains or gust of wind. However, the tree authority doesn’t have a guideline on pruning trees.”
Singh said that branches are cut regularly and unsystematically. “Most trees in the city are misshapen because branches are cut arbitrarily. We have been requesting the tree authority to form proper guidelines for sprucing of trees whereby an expert observes each tree to decide on the branches to be chopped and photographs are taken before and after the cutting.”
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The beauty of the Mumbai marathon is the people lined up along the route cheering the runners. The physical cover provided to the runners by buildings and trees all along the route is the other BIG positive. In tropical countries like ours - running down a stretch like bandra reclamation or the marine drive really saps the energy out of the runners. These decision makers sitting in air-conditioned offices should walk down the stretches at 11 in the afternoon to experience the effects of the Sun. Imagine the pain they are inflicting on unsuspecting runners and adding to the herculean 42 km effort. Completing a full marathon is the ultimate test of personal endurance and will power especially for amateurs. Please do not cut these trees in the name of the marathon. You are doing more harm to the runners in particular and the environment in general by doing so.
These ppl are crazy!!! I am a runner. Will be participating in the event. Runners need shade more than visibility from choppers. Don't they know that? And in any case where are the trees in Bombay. Can't believe they are actually the few that are there. Misplaced priorities I must say.