Campaign to save Aarey from Metro car shed construction gets 2 lakh Mumbaiites’ support

Green activists have been against the state government’s plan to build a Metro car shed in Aarey, for which around 3,500 trees will have to be cut.

A fresh campaign started by the Aarey conservation group in Mumbai has got around two lakh missed calls from citizens within four days. The campaign initiated on January 12 asks citizens to give a missed call to seek alternate sites for the Metro car shed proposed in Aarey.

Mumbai Road Runners celebrate 'Save Aarey Run' at Aarey Colony. (HT FILE)

Green activists have been against the state government’s plan to build a Metro car shed in Aarey, for which around 3,500 trees will have to be cut. Yash Marwah, member of Aarey conservation group, said, “Everyday, there are reports of bad air quality in Mumbai. In such a scenario, we want citizens to ask the authorities on how do they plan to give us a better future in the city by ignoring alternate sites for the shed.”

The car shed has been proposed for the Metro-3 corridor (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz). Earlier too, the group has held many campaigns to spread the message.

The campaign, which urges citizens to give a missed call, has also been publicised on Twitter by celebrities.

The situation has been more or less similar since the new year as activists are demanding that the shed be shifted to a site identified in Kanjurmarg instead of hacking a large number of trees in Aarey.