The lush Amrai forest near Old Sonegaon Airport Road — considered one of the most preferred morning walk destinations in South West Nagpur — is facing a major environmental challenge after the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) proposed cutting nearly 61 to 65 trees for a sewer pipeline project.
Believed to date back to the Bhonsale era, the Amrai forest is known for its thick greenery, centuries-old mango trees, a historic well, and the picturesque Murlidhar Temple located within the wooded area. Residents say the region was once dominated by vast mango orchards nearly 300 years ago and still preserves traces of its ecological and historical legacy.
According to notices issued by the Executive Engineer of NMC’s Laxmi Nagar Zone through the Garden Department, the trees have been identified as obstacles to excavation work for a sewer line passing through Airports Authority of India land near Sahakar Nagar Ghat and Mulik Complex.
The trees marked for removal reportedly include:
- 20 Babul trees
- 12 Ber trees
- 7 Hivar trees
- 3 Neem trees
- 3 Eucalyptus trees
- Tamarind trees
- Banyan trees
- Jamun trees
- Palash trees
- Bel trees
- Several other species
Out of these, NMC has reportedly categorised only three as “heritage trees,” while the remaining 58 have been listed as non-heritage.
The proposal has triggered strong opposition from local residents and environmental activists, who questioned why notices were pasted on the trees even before the completion of the objection and hearing process. Many residents argue that several of these trees are decades old and form an important ecological corridor in the area.
Environmental activist and journalist Sachin Dravekar, along with several green groups, has demanded that NMC strictly follow its standard operating procedure by planting and preserving at least five trees for every tree cut within the same Amrai forest zone. Activists have also appealed to authorities to explore an alternative alignment for the sewer line to avoid damage to the forest cover.
Senior citizens from the locality recalled that the area once had dense mango orchards, habitats for monkeys, vultures nesting on tall trees near the cremation ground, and heritage-era stone bridges over the Pohra river.
Residents, morning walkers, and environmental organisations have now come together to oppose the proposed tree felling, calling it a serious threat to one of Nagpur’s few remaining natural green spaces.
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