On Friday, about 200 citizens gathered on Ganeshkhind Road in Pune, Maharashtra, India, to form a human chain protesting the planned removal of 529 heritage trees for road widening. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) aims to expand the road from 36 to 45 metres, a move critics argue will not effectively address traffic congestion. Protesters, including schoolchildren and senior citizens, highlighted the importance of these trees for local biodiversity and the environment. Activist Satya Natrajan stated, 'Quality of life is proportional to the quality of our air, water, and resources.' Environmentalists like Shailaja Deshpande emphasized that road expansion threatens entire habitats, not just individual trees. Legal avenues are being considered due to alleged mismanagement of tree data by the PMC. The demonstrators plan to continue their protests, advocating for improved public transport instead of road expansion, which they believe exacerbates congestion. In 2024, the PMC received permission to remove trees for a flyover, contingent upon transplanting trees and planting 5,000 new ones with a 95% survival rate.