MUMBAI, 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 decades to hundreds of years old); have large trunk girth or canopy; belong to rare or indigenous species; are associated with a historic site, event, or landmark; and provide significant ecological benefits. An inspection conducted on September 26, 2025, by the Tree Authority identified 68 trees within the project site. Of these, 25 trees were located within the footprint of the proposed clubhouse. A junior tree officer from G/South ward said 25 of the 68 trees were heritage. "Twenty-five trees were affected by the project. Of these, 13 were cut and 12 were replanted," he said. RTI activist Santosh Daundkar claimed that information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that several heritage trees had been cut as part of redevelopment activities linked to the RWITC clubhouse project. Some were between 100 and 150 years old, he said. Daundkar alleged that permission had been granted by then municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, with a broad condition to allowing felling "as per necessity". This resulted in the removal of a large number of mature trees. Daundkar questioned the legality of the permissions granted by the Tree Authority. "There should be an FIR registered against those responsible for the unauthorized tree felling," he said. Former IPS officer and advocate Y P Singh said removing decades-old trees for a clubhouse on land designated as a garden in the Development Plan was inappropriate without a proper environmental impact assessment. "The entire exercise has been done in a mechanical manner, without considering the fact that old and mature trees have the capacity to absorb toxic gasses and cleanse them. With pollution levels in the city going up rapidly, the removal of such trees could never have been in public interest," said Singh. The Tree Authority gave the permission to fell and transplant the 25 trees after the RWITC submitted an undertaking on compensatory plantation and transplantation plans. The proposal was scrutinised against the backdrop of directions issued by the Bombay High Court. Gagrani had approved the proposal with the observation that heritage trees should not be felled at one time but removed in phases, as and when required....