Opposing the plans to set up a Metro railway car shed at the Aarey milk colony and open up one of the city's largest green lungs for development, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said politicians, builders and industrialists had an eye on the land. He alleged that the car shed for the third arm of the Metro railway project from Colaba to Bandra and SEEPZ was part of a design to open up the land for commercial development for the benefit of these lobbies.
Opposing the plans to set up a Metro railway car shed at the Aarey milk colony and open up one of the city's largest green lungs for development, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said politicians, builders and industrialists had an eye on the land. He alleged that the car shed for the third arm of the Metro railway project from Colaba to Bandra and SEEPZ was part of a design to open up the land for commercial development for the benefit of these lobbies.
Raj, who surveyed the Aarey milk colony land on Monday, said the issue was not restricted to the land at Goregaon. Vested interests were eyeing the dairy's prime land at Worli sea face, where plans for a seven-star hotel were floated a few years ago. He suggested the car shed be set up at the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) land.
"The main issue is, Aarey was destroyed to ensure that dairies controlled by politicians can be run. Aarey's workers were destroyed. Politicians, builders and industrialists - many have their eyes on Aarey. The Metro yard is only the beginning, to show people it is for them," said Raj. "The MbPT land is there. Why is this not being done there? Because they want to sell it to industrialists?" he questioned.
He also criticised the BMC's draft development plan for 2034 which has raised hackles by proposing fresh development and a business hub in the Aarey milk colony in Goregaon. Raj criticised these plans for the land, including housing projects, commercial development, and a zoo and botanical garden.
"This happened during the Congress-NCP government's tenure and the BJP-Shiv Sena government is pressing it further. Then what wrong did the Congress-NCP do? Why did (Sena-BJP) call on people to dislodge this government and give power to them if they wanted to repeat it?" said Raj. He pointed out that the state had told the Japanese government that there was no wildlife in the colony.
"There is a motivation behind everything. Someone is designing this," said the MNS chief, adding that financial support by industrial houses during polls may be one fo the motivators. He criticised the government for not taking people into confidence. "I am not versus development," said Raj, adding that open spaces in large cities like Mumbai needed to be maintained and preserved.
He attacked the lack of transparency on the technicalities on the Metro project.
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