Avoid tree cutting during Metro 3 depot construction, says Ashish Shelar

Demanding cutting fewer trees during construction of Metro 3 depot, a delegation under the leadership of BJP MLA Ashish Shelar met MMRDA chief UPS Madan recently. While constructing the depot of Mumbai Metro 3, around 2,500 trees would be cut in Aarey Colony. Organisations such as Aarey Bachao have been protesting against this decision.

Those in the delegation included Sumant Ghaisas of Mumbai BJP vice-president, district president Abhijeet Samant, ward president Prashant Kulkarni, Subhash Upadhyay, Suman Agarwal and Manish Shetty.

The delegation presented a few options to the MMRDA commissioner to avoid tree cutting. The delegation said while on one hand the work of Metro 3 should not be delayed, on the other hand, the environment too should not suffer.

While constructing the car-shed, fewer number of trees should be chopped, the delegation demanded. Shelar also said talks are on with Union minister Nitin Gadkari regarding shifting of car-shed to BPT land.

Meanwhile, Shelar while talking to reporters also demanded that necessary changes should be made to the Mumbai Police Act to make tree felling a cognisable offence.