Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has informed the Bombay High Court that it has sent a proposal to the BMC to take over repair and maintenance of internal roads of Aarey Milk Colony in suburban Goregaon.
Additional government pleader Milind More informed a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Sandeep Marne that the government had taken a decision on June 6 to send a proposal to the BMC for taking over the internal roads at Aarey for repairs and maintenance.
The statement was made during the hearing in a petition filed by Aarey resident Binod Agarwal, a resident of Royal Palms seeking that the internal roads be handed over to the BMC for maintenance.
Agarwal urged the high court that the BMC be directed to take over the pot-hole ridden internal roads for better repair and maintenance. His plea stated that in 2014 the main roads connecting Western Express Highway to Marol Check Naka were taken over by BMC in public interest.
“On June 6, the government took the decision to transfer the roads to the BMC for maintenance and repair,” said More. He clarified that the proposal was for the entire stretch of 45 kilometres within the Aarey Milk Colony. The proposal was to hand over the internal roads to the civic body for repair and maintenance purpose only.
Environmentalist Zoru Bhatena and Vanashakti had filed application
NGO Vanashakti and activist Zoru Bathena had filed an application opposing Agarwal’s plea stating that Aarey Milk Colony not only falls within a “protected forest area” but is also an “eco-sensitive zone (ESZ)” and hence the repair of internal roads can be carried out in a “habitat friendly manner” after approval from the forest department.
During the hearing on Thursday, Zaman Ali, advocate for the intervenors, said that certain parameters will have to be used for repair of forest roads. “It (internal roads) is in an eco-sensitive zone of the forest department,” said Ali.
Intervenors are free to file a separate petition
The bench then said that if the intervenors were aggrieved by the government’s move then they were at liberty to file a separate petition. The bench then asked the BMC commissioner to examine the government’s proposal and kept the plea for hearing on July 6.
At present, the internal roads fall within the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department (PWD). In an affidavit filed in reply to the PIL, the PWD stated it was seeking funds as it has not received enough funds since three years.
In February, the high court had questioned the government whether it has plans to repair the internal roads.
