India, June 10 -- The Mahalaxmi Racecourse has lost 25 trees, including many of heritage vintage, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Tree Authority granted permission to cut and transplant them to facilitate the construction of a proposed mini-clubhouse. The process of cutting and transplanting the trees began in March, drawing criticism from activists, who claim some were more than a century old.

The approval was granted on November 11, 2025. The proposal was submitted by the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) under Section 8 of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, as amended in 2017.

Under the act, trees are considered heritage if they are exceptionally old (often several deca...