Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra has decided to shift the route of under-constructed Metro car shed project to Aarey forests. (File) Amid protests over the Eknath Shinde-led government’s plan to move back the proposed Metro 3 car shed to Mumbai’s Aarey forest from Kanjurmarg, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the opposition to the move by some “pseudo-environmentalists” could be “sponsored”.
“There are some genuine environmental activists, while some are pseudo ones. Their opposition to the car shed is likely to be sponsored. Hence, they continue to oppose the construction of the car shed for Metro 3 line,” he told mediapersons on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan.
“I respect environmentalists. They have full right to say what they feel. The National Green Tribunal and Supreme Court have permitted the project…”
“The trees that the state wanted to chop down, have already been felled,” he said, adding that there is no need to fell any more trees. Maintaining that nearly 25 per cent of the work is done, Fadnavis said the car shed can be ready in the next one year.
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“The car shed is coming up outside the area demarcated as forest and some changes in the design will have to made,” he added.
“More importantly, the SC itself has observed in its order that the amount of carbon sequestration achieved by the Metro trains through their ferries in 80 days will be equivalent to the cumulative carbon sequestration done by the trees in their lifetime,” he said, referring to the trees that have been chopped down to make space for the construction of the car shed.
“Some environmentalists may not have full information and some may be indulging in sponsored agitation. I may ready to speak with them. But Metro is Mumbai’s right,” he added.
“If we take the car shed to Kanjurmarg, it will take four years to construct it and there will be cost escalation of Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore. Already there is cost escalation of Rs 10,000 crore,” said Fadnavis.
(WITH PTI INPUTS)
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