mumbai

Updated: Nov 11, 2017 16:06 IST

Over two months after the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) rejected the proposal for reserving 33 hectare of land at Aarey Milk Colony for Metro car shed in the draft Development Plan (DP) of the city, the BJP-led state government overruled it.

The urban development department led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis issued a notification on November 9, modifying the proposal submitted by the BMC, to ear mark the 33 hectare at Aarey in K/E ward as a Metro car shed instead of a green zone. “Total 33 hectare of land shall be used for Metro car workshop and allied users only. Commercial users shall not be permitted,” stated the notification that has granted a final sanction to this portion of the draft DP.

This also means that this plot has been reserved for Metro car shed or workshop for the next 20 years in the city’s development blueprint.

To mitigate the environment impact on Aarey Colony, the notification has recommended six measures including planting more than 10-feet-tall trees of native variety, recharging ground water, maintaining trees for five years, third party audit of the plantation etc.

The Metro car shed in Aarey has been staunchly opposed by a section of environmentalists and activists. The Shiv Sena had sided with activists and opposed its ally-turned-rival BJP over the development.

On July 31, the elected body of the BMC rejected the proposal for Metro car shed in DP with the Sena and the Congress voting against it. This was the only proposal out of the 266 amendments suggested by the elected body that was put to vote.

The draft DP with this modification was submitted to the state government on August 2. “We considered the amendments and rejected this modification. According to the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, the state government retains the right to reject, modify and sanction in part or the whole draft DP submitted by the local civic body, “ said a senior urban development official.

The work on the Metro car shed for the underground Metro-3 line has already begun at Aarey Milk Colony. The notification also modified a reservation for a multi-purpose community centre at 2,098 sq m plot in Vikhroli to a court building.