On Day 1, CM says no carshed in Aarey
Such decisions will demotivate investors and all infrastructure projects will get stalled which are already delayed DEVENDRA FADNAVIS, Former CM
MUMBAI:ONE of the first decisions that newly sworn-in Maharashtra chief minister took was to stay the construction of the Mumbai metro rail carshed in the city’s green lung Aarey Colony, where strong protests had erupted last month against cutting of trees for the work.
Speaking to mediapersons at the state secretariat on his first day at work, Thackeray said: “I have stayed the work of the Aarey carshed. The work will not happen without a thorough review. I will not tolerate killing of trees in the dead of the night. Not one leaf will be plucked from the tree. I will do whatever is necessary.”
Senior state secretariat officials confirmed that the CM issued directives to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC) to conduct a review.
Then Bjp-led government in Maharashtra had come under fire from activists in October when over 2,000 trees were felled for a carshed, to be constructed in Aarey Colony adjacent to Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The Shiv Sena, then junior partner in the Devendra Fadnavis government, had opposed the felling of trees.
The Bombay high court had on October 4 refused to declare Aarey Colony a forest. Hours after the court gave a go-ahead, trees were cut at night, fuelling further protests. The SC last month sought a status report with pictures on the Aarey colony area.
Thackeray clarified that he has not stayed development work, and the construction of the Metro line will continue uninterrupted. “We will decide if the carshed needs to be constructed at Aarey. We are neither against development work, nor have we stopped the metro work,” he said.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis reacted on social media stating, “Japan’s JICA has funded ~15,000 crore for this Metro project on nominal interest rates. Such decisions will demotivate investors to come forward in future and all infrastructure projects will get stalled which are already delayed for so long in previous 15 year rule.”
However, green activists lauded the new CM’S move. Zoru Bathena, one of the petitioners asking for a stay in the construction of the carshed said, “It is a welcome move. The Chief Minister has stayed the work. This is in complete contrast to how the BJP government was treating us...”
After being sworn in on Thursday, Thackeray held his first cabinet meeting. “I am happy to tell you all that the first decision is to approve ~20 core for development of Raigad which was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he announced.