E-Paper
MMRDA seeks Centre’s nod to divert forest land for Mumbai Metro-5 corridor
MMRDA said 2,349.57 sqm of forest area needs to be diverted in Thane and Bhiwandi
Even as the debate over the construction of the Metro-3 car shed is back to the fore, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has applied for the diversion of 2,349.57 square metres (sqm) of forest area for the Metro-5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) corridor.
According to the documents submitted by MMRDA to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the state authority has sought the diversion of 1,971.71 sqm of forest land in Balkaum, Thane, as well as of 377.86 sqm of area in Kasheli in Bhiwandi, for constructing around 24 piers for the project.
“During the planning stage, the various options for the alignment were explored by MMRDA in view of the complete avoidance of forest land or minimum loss of forest land. The proposed alignment requires at least minimum forest land, which is unavoidable,” read MMRDA’s letter to the ministry, justifying the diversion of forest land.
A senior MMRDA official, who did not wish to be named, said, “The portion is just a small patch of forest near the Kasheli creek. We are awaiting approval in a month or two.”
In 2017, MMRDA had to seek the nod of the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) for the project, as the alignment crosses the Ulhas river near Kalyan.
The 24.9-km Metro-5 corridor will connect Thane and Kalyan via the power loom town of Bhiwandi and will have 17 stations.
Currently, the areas are connected only via the overcrowded suburban railway. The cost of the project is pegged at Rs8,417 crore.
Recently, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had shifted the proposed Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg, as the plot in Aarey had witnessed severe opposition from activists.
However, the transfer of land in Kanjurmarg was stayed by the Bombay high court (HC) after the central government also claimed ownership of the plot.
