A plot in Mumbai’s Aarey Milk Colony, once used to transplant over 100 fully grown trees felled for Metro construction, now shows little trace of those efforts. A mid-day ground check at the site revealed that most of the transplanted trees have vanished, confirming long-standing fears that the process is more symbolic than sustainable. What’s more, the same land is now being used for a new plantation drive, raising questions about accountability, success rates, and the seriousness of compensatory afforestation.

Environmentalists say the plot exposes a systemic failure in Mumbai’s green cover policy, where trees are repeatedly cut and “replaced” with little monitoring or outcome. Locals say more than 100 new saplings were planted here barely ten days ago, with permission from the Aarey CEO’s office.