70 trees & road divider to make way for F4 race in Navi Mum: Activist

Navi Mumbai: More than 70 trees will either be cut or relocated to pave the way for a Formula-4 (F4) race scheduled to be held in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, around the end of the year, says an activist, reports Umesh K Parida . The trees are on the road divider and a playground. The Navi Mumbai civic body is spending around Rs 28 crore for the event, which is an entry-level race.The road divider will be removed on the road stretch, and the residents will be affected till restoration of the road infrastructure. Activists and elected representatives have started raising their voice against the playground that is also to be used for the event. The commissioner as administrator of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation had signed the agreement for the F4 event.The president of the NMMC sports, culture and youth welfare committee and corporator Girish Mhatre has moved a proposal in the general body meeting seeking approval for the three-day event and its expenditure. Earlier, a number of trees were planted by the civic body at the Wamandev playground area in sector-26.The Nerul villages have raised their voice against the racing track passing through the playground. The NMMC had already spent crores of rupees to maintain the road divider and trees. They made a representation to the mayor Sujata Patil during a meeting on Friday. However, Patil had assured the villagers that the open space will be restored after the event and shall be used for a playground.Local activist, Pravin Khedkar alleged, "More than 70 trees are to be affected due to the proposed event related infrastructure work. Details have been sought from the NMMC."The elected representatives are of the opinion that no other suitable place is available in the city. Further, the infrastructure work to be conducted at the playground area will improve drainage and other facilities. Some even demanded to organize the event elsewhere in Kharghar, Ulwe, Morbe but turned it down. However, the infrastructure work for the racing event will be taken up soon.