The Maharashtra government is likely to build the Metro-III car shed in the Aarey Colony which is known for its greenery and biodiversity, even as an expert committee suggested three other alternative sites.
A highly placed source in the Maharashtra Home Department said that the expert committee has suggested Kanjurmarg, Bandra Bandstand and Bombay Port Trust as alternatives to build the car shed.
"The expert committee have suggested three places, but it is not viable for us to build the Metro car shed at any of these areas due to logistics and cost issues. So, we will have to build the car shed in Aarey Colony itself even if we face protests," the official said, requesting anonymity.
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He said that if protests over building the car shed in Aarey Colony intensifies, it would only lead to a temporary stalling of the project.
"If around 2,200 trees are affected due to the project, most of them could be replanted in other areas. Whenever highways are built, we have to cut a large number of trees in the name of development. This is development as well," the official said.
Earlier this year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had constituted an expert committee to look for viable options to construct a car shed for Metro-III, after protests from citizens and political parties.
The committee included members representing the MMMRDA, BMC, principal secretary of urban development, NEERI director Rakesh Kumar, Ravi Sinha of IIT Mumbai, Rashmi Patil of the Centre of Science and Environment of IIT Mumbai, metro expert G R Madan and the DMRC director.
