‘We all want Metro, but not at cost of biodiversity’

On Monday, MMRCL managing director Ashwini Bhide, at a debate on the project, had said the project was not feasible without a depot at Aarey.

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday supported the Opposition over the car shed for Metro-3 at Aarey Milk Colony, but stayed silent on the proposed Metro Bhavan.

Speaking to reporters at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar on Tuesday, Thackeray junior said the car depot would adversely impact the biodiversity of Aarey, pointing out a number of species, including leopards, civets, deer, different types of spiders, snakes, geckos, etc, thrive there. (HT image)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the 32-storey Metro Bhavan on September 7 at an event in Mumbai, where Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was also present.

Speaking to reporters at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar on Tuesday, Thackeray junior said the car depot would adversely impact the biodiversity of Aarey, pointing out a number of species, including leopards, civets, deer, different types of spiders, snakes, geckos, etc, thrive there. He said Aarey was the last remaining green lung of the city and the government must listen to the voices of Mumbai citizens. He demanded a probe against the consultant for the project.

On Monday, MMRCL managing director Ashwini Bhide, at a debate on the project, had said the project was not feasible without a depot at Aarey. “When MMRCL says that Metro is not possible without car shed, it comes across as a scam. Who was the consultant? Why were they paid if they could not find an alternative place,” he asked, without backing it with proofs.

The chief minister had appointed a three member-expert committee in 2015 to find alternative site for Metro-3 car depot after environmentalists opposed the depot at Aarey. Two technical members gave dissenting views. The views were noted by Dr Rakesh Kumar, scientist at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, and Shyam Asolekar, faculty, IIT-Bombay. The report, however, stated that if the plot in Kanjurmarg is unavailable, the depot should be built at Aarey with minimum axing of trees. MMRCL had considered alternative sites while planning the ₹23,136 crore-project, including BEST’s Backbay depot in Colaba, a plot in Kanjurmarg, a plot within the Mumbai University campus, but they were not feasible.

A day after civic chief Praveen Pardeshi and Bhide defended the cutting of 2,702 trees, the Sena scion said the issue is not just about the fate of trees, but the biodiversity. “Trees can be replaced, transplanted, but we are talking about conservation of biodiversity. Soon, MMRC will say that shift the leopards to Mahul like it is done [for project affected persons] in other projects... As a political party, we are doing our bit in the state, in the BMC, but today as a Mumbaiite, I want to raise it. We all want Metro, we are not against it, but something is going to get destroyed and we are against that,” he said on Tuesday.

Thackeray said they will not “tolerate” if Aarey is touched. He also questioned if the Kanjurmarg plot is feasible for another Metro line then why not for the 33.5-km underground Metro-3 line. Thackeray said the CM should replace the officials handling Metro projects and appoint someone who will hear the voice of citizens. “We are not opposed to the Metro project. This high-handed behaviour of MMRCL is probably to threaten the court …The CM should appoint officers who love Mumbai and will go ahead after listening to Mumbaiites. We have tolerated that the pipelines were damaged, roads were damaged, but we will not tolerate if they will touch Aarey,” he said. Despite attempts officials of MMRCL and Bhide were unavailable for a comment.