Belapur: A citizen’s body has formally appealed to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to revoke the newly imposed Rs 200-per-tree fee for trimming hazardous branches within housing society premises.

In a letter addressed to the Municipal Commissioner, Sairaj Pratishthan has termed the charge an "unnecessary tax" on residential societies that are already committed to maintaining and preserving urban greenery.

"Till date there was no such tax being levied. Tree trimming work is anyways done by the society only, the reason for levying the amount by NMMC is not clear," said the president of the organisation Aditya Bharat Jadhav. 
The appeal references NMMC's resolution no. 7460, passed during a General Body Meeting on January 27, 2025, which introduced the fee structure for tree maintenance. However, Jadhav emphasized that such charges were never levied in the past, and imposing them now effectively penalizes societies that proactively care for the environment.
“Societies are already making efforts to protect and nurture trees. Charging them for trimming dangerous branches — a necessary safety measure — is unfair and feels like a form of punishment,” the letter stated.
The Pratishthan has urged the civic body to roll back the decision and allow such trimming activities to continue without any fee, as was the practice earlier. The appeal has been forwarded to the Urban Development Secretary, Deputy Commissioner of Gardens, and the Belapur divisional officer for consideration.

When contacted DMC Kisanrao Palande stated that it is a policy decision taken by the administration with regards to the upkeep of the green cover of the city. "The sum of Rs 200 is not very huge, it has been decided after much deliberation besides the purpose is to ensure that trimming work is done in a scientific manner," he said.