Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday backtracked on his earlier utterances that no development would be allowed in Aarey .

Just a day earlier, he had told the TOI: “The Development Plan is not acceptable. We will ensure that there will be no compromise on the no-development zone. It’s just a plan. It is not binding on the government to implement it.’’

On Wednesday, though, Fadnavis told mediapersons that “precinct development activities will be permitted.”

Asked if the Metro-III car-shed would be allowed in Aarey, Fadnavis said, “It will be allowed.’’ The car-shed could result in cutting of nearly 2,298 trees. The Dairy Development Department that owns Aarey has already allotted 11 hectares for infrastructure to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

He said the government would hold several more rounds of consultations with people who are opposing the project. “If necessary, we shall tweak it (the Metro-III project),” he said.

On the BMC Draft Development Plan 2014-2034, he said, “At this stage, I would only say that the Draft Development Plan has been prepared by BMC and it will invite objections and suggestions. A committee will be set up with the standing committee chairman heading it to hold a hearing. After this, the draft plan will be placed before BMC’s general body and along with their suggestions (councillors) it will be sent to the state government. The state government will also have a committee to look into the proposed changes,’’ said the chief minister.

Fadnavis said there were several stages where a lot of contemplation will happen on the draft plan.

“We must not jump to conclusions,” he said, adding that it would be his endeavour to ensure that the final plan is published by the year-end.

For 1,009 hectares of Aarey land, BMC has proposed a park on the lines of Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London, a theme park like Universal Studios, a zoological park, an institution area spread over 212 hectares, besides a BRTS, bus depot for parking and land for resettlement of tribals, slum-dwellers and government offices.

