Kolkata Metro Rail project: No felling or transplantation of trees without CEC nod, rules Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled no felling or transplantation of trees will take place for the metro rail project near the iconic Victoria Memorial in Kolkata without the permission of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra, and K V Vishwanathan, hearing a plea challenging a June 20 Calcutta High Court verdict, pointed out the need for the CEC’s review before any action is taken and directed the committee to step in to address the concerns related to environmental damage.

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The plea was filed by People United for Better Living in Calcutta (PUBLIC), who argued that while they did not oppose the metro project, the construction of a station would result in the loss of over 900 trees, posing significant environmental risks.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, countered that the trees were being transplanted, not felled. He noted that 94 of the 827 trees marked for transplantation had already been relocated, and a compensatory afforestation plan would see 2,370 new trees planted. Mehta highlighted the metro project’s importance in easing Kolkata’s traffic congestion.

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During the hearing, West Bengal’s counsel requested more time to seek further instructions, but the court expressed concerns about delays potentially escalating the project’s costs.

The 16.7-kilometer Joka-Esplanade metro line is already partially operational and includes a 5.05-kilometer underground section. The high court had earlier supported the project, recognising its public benefit while stressing the importance of balancing environmental protection. The required permissions for tree removal were found to be compliant with strict conditions.

With the CEC now overseeing the process, the Supreme Court closed the case, instructing that no trees be removed without the committee’s approval.