Maharashtra: Aarey Metro car shed to be moved to Kanjurmarg
In his address to the state, the CM said that two Metro corridors -- Colaba-Bandra-Seepz (Metro 3) and Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli (Metro 6) will be integrated
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday announced the scrapping of the Metro car shed at Aarey Milk Colony and said that it would be moved to Kanjurmarg, in eastern suburbs.
In his address to the state, the CM said that two Metro corridors -- Colaba-Bandra-Seepz (Metro 3) and Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli (Metro 6) will be integrated. “I am happy to announce that Aarey car shed is now being moved to Kanjurmarg. The plot in Kanjurmarg is government land and it will be provided at zero cost for Metro car shed. The money used to construct the building -- Rs 100 crore-- will not go waste either. That building will be used for a public purpose,” Thackeray said.
The car shed at Aarey was opposed by environmental activists and citizen groups. Before 2019 assembly elections, Shiv Sena had announced it would not allow a car shed in Aarey Colony. The CM also reiterated that the government has decided to withdraw cases lodged by police against citizens and activists who had protested against Metro car shed at Aarey Colony.
With the decision to move Metro 3 car depot from Aarey to Kanjurmarg, the underground Metro project is set to see delays and cost overruns.
The chief minister said the government had earlier declared 600 acre of Aarey land as reserve forest but now it has been increased to 800 acre. He said that the will be no infringement on rights of tribals in the area.
“Biodiversity in Aarey needs to be conserved and protected. Nowhere is there an 800-acre jungle in an urban setup. Mumbai has a natural forest cover. We know that jungles are converted to cities, but here, city is converted to a jungle. We need to preserve what we have and carry out development in the remaining area,” he said.