The Public Works Department (PWD) has informed the Bombay High Court that it has sent a proposal to the Dairy Development Department for sanction of funds for constructing asphalt roads and also for concretising some roads inside Aarey Milk Colony. Once the funds are sanctioned, they would undertake the necessary action.
The PWD filed an affidavit in the HC in reply to a petition filed by Binod Agarwal, a resident of Royal Palms seeking that the internal roads be handed over to the BMC for maintenance.
Affidavit stated proposal had already been sent seeking funds for road repair
The affidavit filed by Gunjan Dighavkar — an engineer with the PWD, Aarey Milk Colony — states that in December 2022 a proposal was sent to the Principal Secretary of the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department seeking sanction of funds for constructing and strengthening of asphalt roads of Rs 48.41 crore for 45 km stretch.
It received a reply on February 2 informing that technical approval for the proposal of Rs 48 crore has been sent to the finance department for provisions of funds after which the approval will be granted. “I say that after administrative approval of 48 crore if concrete roads are to be constructed, only 12 km of concrete roads would be dealt and for the remaining length a new proposal would be put for approval,” said the affidavit.
PWD says work will be undertaken after dairy dept nod
The cost for concretising the 45 km stretch of roads is Rs 173.70 crore, adds the affidavit. After receiving administrative approval from the dairy development department the work will be taken in hand, it added.
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.
Activists oppose Agarwal's plea
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.
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