More than 3,000 heritage trees, initially slated for removal in connection with a road-widening project proposed in 2012, received a new lease on life this Thursday.

In the final order disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL), the Bombay High Court declared that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has opted to abandon the proposed widening of the 20-km Shirsad-Ambadi Road in Thane district. Closing the PIL, the bench stated, "…that the proposed road widening is not to be carried out, we are of the view that nothing survives in this PIL."