This proposal is likely to be submitted before the National Green Tribunal, where hearings are underway on the subject of the car depot being built at Aarey Milk Colony
There has been a lot of controversy and hue and cry about the location for the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro corridor’s car depot, but is the depot really coming up at Aarey? Not really. In a twist to the controversy, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) now wants the car depot to come up at Parjapur, and not at Aarey.
The MMRC’s move follows the corporation facing pressure from various sections of society — including from environmentalists, citizen groups, political leaders and Bollywood celebrities — to not allow the car depot to be constructed in Aarey, since that would involve a number of trees being cut down in the city’s green lungs.
Ashiwni Bhide, MD, MMRC, said: “The car depot and Metro station is planned at Parjapur.”
Another MMRC official told DNA, “The depot’s location is likely to be changed due to ongoing litigation and opposition.” Aarey Milk Colony is spread over 1,287 hectares, in which there are 12 villages –– Sai, Gundgav, Film City, Royal Palms, Dindoshi (Eksar Pahad), Aarey, Pahadi Goregaon, Vyraval, Kondivita, Maroshi (Marol), Parjapur and Paspoli. In 1977, 200 hectares were carved out from Aarey village for Film City, but there was no opposition then.
Bhide said: “Aarey village is spread over a large area of the colony, which is why the entire area has been named Aarey Milk Colony. But if we see the name of the village where the car depot is planned, it is not Aarey, but Parjapur village. So we are thinking about renaming the location of our depot to Parjapur.”
This proposal is likely to be submitted before the National Green Tribunal, where hearings are underway on the subject of the car depot being built at Aarey Milk Colony. MMRC officials are of the opinion that bringing this portion of the data to the fore will aid their arguments concerning the car depot being built at the same location inside Aarey Milk Colony.
The redesigned layout of the car depot for the 32.5-km-long underground corridor now requires only 25 hectares, instead of the earlier 30 hectares. This will help save close to 1,000 trees on the same plot.
If construction works go ahead as per plan, the entire Rs 23,136-crore corridor is likely to be opened for operations by March 2021.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Aarey Colony")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}