MUMBAI: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation ( MMRC ) that had barricaded the 30-hectare car shed site at Aarey and begun raising its height as a precursor to construction of the car shed has now begun restoration of the site to its original level.

The work of removal of earth and debris from the site was noticed by members of the Aarey Conservation Group on Thursday.

In September, S K Gupta had told TOI that work had commenced after MMRC granted a go-ahead to the contractor. He further stated that there was no stay from the National Green Tribunal on constructing the car shed.

A MMRC spokesperson on Friday, however, said, “We are removing loose soil and also the debris dumped by unknown elements illegally over the (sic) period of time to reach to parent soil and to prepare ground for earth work for the depot. This is an essential activity before starting the filling work.”

In September the MMRC contractor had sought permission from the suburban collector for filling the 30-hectare site but the permission is still not granted. Activists said they have pictures to show the site was green till it was barricaded and filling work was started by MMRC.

Citizens filed a writ petition in the Bombay high court against the government for denotifying the site from the green zone. The petition states the Government Resolution violates the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act as the work is not in consonance with the notified draft Development Plan-2034. The petition has been admitted.

NGO Vanashakti also filed a complaint before the National Green Tribunal against the filling work being carried out at the site in violation of the tribunal’s 2015 order for a status quo till the matter on whether Aarey is a forest is finally decided. In this case too, a notice has been served to MMRC.

