Mumbai: Despite heavy rain, people gather to protest shed project in Aarey forest

On Sunday, protests over the Eknath Shinde government's plan to resume building metro car sheds in the Aarey colony forest took to the streets with people claiming the project was being developed at the expense of the forest region.

Holding placards, the protesters raised slogans against the new government's proposal to shift the Metro-3 car shed project back to Mumbai's Aarey forest, a 1,800-acre area that is often termed as the megalopolis's 'green lung'.

#WATCH | Mumbai: Protests underway in Aarey, Goregaon against metro car shed. pic.twitter.com/pl2yJDqIfn

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2022

Hours after coming to power, Chief Minister Shinde overturned the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government’s decision to relocate the proposed Mumbai Metro Line-3 car shed from Aarey Colony.

The Thackeray government had shifted the site to Kanjurmarg, but it got embroiled in a legal dispute.

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray also participated in the protest on Sunday, saying that this is a fight for Mumbai and its forest life.

"Under our government, we had declared 808 acres of land as forests. we fought for forests to protect out tribals. When we were here, no trees were uprooted," he said.

Mumbai | This is a fight for Mumbai, fight for life. We fought for forest&to protect our tribals. When we were here no trees were uprooted. Cars go for maintenance once every 3-4 months, not every night: Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray at Aarey protest site pic.twitter.com/aRIIRHh4oj

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2022

Claiming tat metro cars go for maintenancy every three-four months and not every night, the government can afford to build sheds in Kanjurmarg.

"If sheds are built in Kanjurmarg, forest life will be preserved, along with tribal life and money," he said.

According to environmental activists, the forest not only provides fresh air to the people of the city but is also a key habitat for wildlife, including some endemic species.

The forest has some five lakh trees, and also has a couple of rivers and some lakes flowing through it, they said.