In a twist straight out of a satire, the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC)—which is set to clear green space for a new collectorate building—has now taken up the role of savior, launching a ₹3.97 crore tree transplantation and maintenance project along district EPC roads.
Yes, the same agency preparing to ax trees is now pledging to protect them—just not the ones blocking real estate. The plan involves uprooting “inconvenient” roadside trees, relocating them using heavy-duty machinery (tree spades, cranes, dumpers), and caring for them for 3 years, monsoons included.
The irony doesn’t stop there. Contractors must have experience transplanting at least 1,100 trees, and a team of botanists onboard—perhaps now questioning their life choices. Nearly ₹60 lakh goes to GST alone, because saving trees doesn’t come tax-free.
The operation is on a tight schedule: 3 months to relocate, 33 months to “nurture”. It’s like luxury rehab for trees—after being evicted by bulldozers.
What’s truly poetic is the contrast: the same agency clears greenery in one spot and hosts a rescue op in another. It’s development with a leafy PR twist—or as critics might call it, eco-diplomacy with a chainsaw.
Greenwashing or genuine effort? That’s up for debate. But one thing’s certain—the trees are moving. Let’s just hope they survive the journey.