The state government had greenlit MMRDA’s plea to fell around 2,900 trees in the ‘lungs of Mumbai’, Aarey Colony. They were planning to build 14.47-km Lokhandwala-Kanjurmarg corridor-6 in the area which is home to several animal and plant species as well as tribal communities. The decision invoked huge protests from Mumbaikars including Bollywood celebs.
Apart from the land allowed for Metro Bhawan, a metro car parking lot and a yard, MMRDA was initially seeking another 2,775 sqm land of Mumbai’s green cover. Following the ‘Save Aarey’ movement by Mumbaikars, the Maharashtra state government and MMRDA have decided to give up on the Aarey land and are planning to seek another piece of land for the metro parking lot at Wadala. This simply goes to show the true power of a just public protest by concerned citizens!
“We have decided to take up 28,000 sqft of land in the Wadala area to build the casting yard for the metro line 6,” an MMRDA official told News 18.
“No land is being sought from the Aarey Milk Colony,” he added.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier defended the government’s move to use the Aarey Colony for metro setup and said that there is a need to balance development and environmental concerns.
An environmentalist with the Mumbai-based NGO Vanashakti, Stalin D raised several questions on the government’s decision to approve tree slaughtering for metro development.
“MMRDA’s demands are never-ending. We had opposed the car shed in the colony, which would result in felling thousands of trees. But the authorities didn’t stop at that, they decided to set up the Metro Bhavan. We are not fighting the metro but our fight is to protect the forests and the green area of the city,” he said.
“Even if we consider the crashed, what was the need for the Metro Bhavan? Could that not have been constructed in BKC, where MMRDA has large land parcels?” Stalin questioned.
Aarey has already been used for commercial purposes like Film City and other educational institutes. “Aarey is an active buffer for the protected areas of the SG National Park. This landscape is a veritable green lung and must be protected as it is,” Stalin said.
MMRDA and the state government is planning to develop the metro network in the city by building 14 metro lines extending up to 337 km across the city. An investment of over Rs 1.25 lakh crore has been made for the same and the network is expected to be set up within the next decade.
Public outrage has certainly turned out to be an eye-opener for the state government and MMRDA. The efforts of people have finally paid off and helped them save the lungs of the city. It’s time to celebrate Mumbaikars!