No commercial tag for Aarey green zone: BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Improvement Committee rejected the proposal to issue a no objection certificate (NOC) to change the reservation of Aarey from green zone to commercial use. A plot of around 33 hectares in Aarey has been reserved as a green zone in the city's draft development plan 2034.

The Maharashtra government had sent a proposal to the civic body requesting the change. The proposal was tabled before the improvement committee last month. However, Ujawala Modak, BJP corporator demanded a prior visit after the proposal was tabled before the committee, a view share by other members. The committee members made a visit to the site last month.

Anat Nar, chairman of Improvement Committee of BMC said, "There are only few open spaces left in the city and we need to protect those."

"The state government needs to look at other place for the Metro car shed. Development cannot be carried out by slaughtering the green zone," said Nar. He further added that a total of eight places were identified for Metro car shed. "I do not know why they are interested in Aarey colony when the car shed can be developed in other place like Kanjurmarg," he added.

Sources claimed that even the Sena ruled BMC has rejected the proposal, however, the state government has full right to pass the proposal and execute the plan. "Rejection of the proposal will not make much difference," said a BJP leader.