Relocate Metro 3 carshed back to Aarey: Fadnavis appeals to CM Thackeray
The Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday appealed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to relocate a proposed Metro carshed to Aarey Colony in Mumbai.
In a letter addressed to Thackeray, Fadnavis alleged that some state officials were "misguiding" the government over the proposed car shed project for the Metro-3 line. It will lead to a major delay in the completion of the work and overexpenditure, the former chief minister said. "If the car shed is shifted to Kanjurmarg, it will end up in cutting off a greater number of trees, the project will be delayed and crores of rupees will be wasted," he claimed. The BJP leader said it is also a "lie" that the Aarey car shed land is available only till 2031. However, Thackeray rebutted Fadnavis’ charges saying that the same state government officials were there when the latter was the Chief Minister. ‘’Whatever officials may say ultimately everything is visible on paper. A Chief Secretary led committee is looking into various sites including Pahadi Goregaon and Bandra Kurla Complex,’’ he noted.
A committee headed by Maharashtra chief secretary Sanjay Kumar on Monday visited Kanjurmarg and Aarey Colony sites.
Fadnavis said while planning for the Metro-3 line car shed, planners have estimated the population growth till 2053, he said. The depot will have enough space to accommodate the number of Metro cars that would be required in 2053 when the movement of Metro trains "will be at its peak." In the beginning, only 31 trains would be required, while the number would later increase to 42 with each train having eight coaches, Fadnavis said.