Aarey car depot: Tree Authority gets over 200 objections

According to officials, it was the first time they had received so many objections. (Express File)

The Tree Authority has received over 200 objections for the cutting of 444 trees in Aarey Milk Colony for the construction of the ramp for the Metro 3. According to officials, it is the first time that they received so many objections in a matter. “We have already received 200 letters and many are still coming. Around 15 people even attended the meeting on Friday. It is the first time that we received so many objections. We have taken note of them and now we will send it to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) for their response,” said Jitendra Pardeshi, BMC’s Superintendent of Gardens.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had earlier called for suggestions/objections from residents on cutting these trees as they are on the path of the ramp that will allow the underground Metro 3 to come on the ground to enter the car depot. The residents had raised several objections to the tree cutting plan and highlighted the fact that Bombay High Court was hearing a matter on shifting the car depot from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) was still hearing a case about Aarey being a part of the eco-sensitive zone.

“A number of other objections were also voiced like the tree felling will worsen the floods along the Mithi area which is low-lying and prone to flood and that is giving out details in notices in a piecemeal manner for Aarey so that the public is not informed of the full damage,” said Ruchir Bhansali, a resident, who attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar also visited the car depot site in Aarey Colony with the opposition leader Ravi Raja, corporators of Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and Sion area, along with garden committee members to examine it. MMRC officials presented their plans for the land to the Mayor.

“The Mayor also raised some objections like the fact that the reservation was still not changed. He asked us how it can be saved and how we will deal with the ecological disturbance. Now, we will prepare a report and present it to the Mayor,” added Pardeshi. “We are happy with the Mayor’s visit as he raised relevant concerns of the residents. We need more such meetings. However, after following the issue for three-and-a-half years, it is hard to know what the final outcome of this meeting will be. I will be meeting him on Monday,” said Tasneem Sheikh, an Aarey Conservation Group (ACG) member, who was present at the meeting.