BMC to appoint tree trimmers for Rs 90 crore

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) garden department is waiting for final approval to appoint contractors for tree trimming. The tender costs Rs 90 crore and includes 23 contractors for tree trimming/cutting across Mumbai for the next two years.

However, the new contractors’ team will not include an arborist (tree surgeon), which was earlier made compulsory after incidents of tree collapse during the monsoon that killed pedestrians.

A senior garden department officer said, “It would take the next two years to have an arborist on board. For this contract, we have relaxed the rules and given our nod to a horticulture expert for scientific tree cutting. Mumbai has only one arborist and it would be difficult to appoint for the entire city. The tender procedure is done and the municipal commissioner’s final sanction is awaited.”

Meanwhile, the BMC has already started the pre-monsoon trimming of trees. The BMC has been facing flak from residents and activists over the past few years due to many incidents of tree collapse. The new contract will begin from May 15.

Till then, the old contractors will carry out tree trimming in the city. The 24 contractors for the 24 civic wards had been appointed for three years for Rs 140 crore.

“The new contract states that the contractor will be responsible if any tree/branches fall during the monsoon or later. The contractor will be responsible for any mishap due to tree collapse and not the BMC officials,” the garden department officer added. The decision to add a new clause was taken after the latest incident of the Himalaya foot overbridge collapse.