Mumbai : In new trouble for the construction of car depot for Metro-III corridor, the BMC will ask the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation to submit a fresh proposal to the Tree Authority if it wants to cut trees in Aarey Colony.
The National Green Tribunal recently passed an order stating the BMC shall not give NOC for any construction in the eco-sensitive area. The MMRC is set to challenge this order through an ‘intervention application’ as the permissions for a depot and/or stabling yard was approved much before the NGT order and it was cleared by the Centre and State. The status quo for all project proponents of any construction work in Aarey Colony remain till Thursday.
The BMC had earlier rejected the proposal to cut trees in Aarey Colony and asked the MMRC for a fresh proposal. “It’s been a while since we referred the matter back to them. The decision was taken some weeks ago. We will formally inform the MMRC,” said Jitendra Pardeshi, superintendent of gardens, BMC.
MMRC MD Ashwini Bhide said: “We haven’t got any official communication. We will take appropriate action if there is such an order.”
Meanwhile, the MMRC awaits CM Devendra Fadnavis’s decision on the location of car depot—Aarey Colony or Kanjurmarg. If the CM chooses Aarey Colony, the MMRC plans to construct a double-deck car depot such that 446 trees would have to be cut in place of 2,298 in the original plan.
