The press conference held by Aarey Conservation Group (ACG), an organization comprising of environmental experts, activists, citizens, and tribals on Friday, 15th July in Mumbai has brought to the core many discrepancies, lies, and the hidden motive behind the new Maharashtra government’s adamant stance of shifting the Metro car shed to Aarey. For those who couldn't view the video, here's a summary:
1. Aarey forest was always an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) until in 2016, the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in his CM's war room denotified 408 acres (165 hectares) of Aarey for Metro depot and allied activities. 'Allied activities' to mean commercial development, but this was not to be revealed till necessary later," said Zoru Bhathena, a member of the ACG group. As per the government’s claim, only 25 hectares of Aarey will be used for a car shed. If the car shed requires only 25 hectares then why denotify 165 hectares, what will come up in the remaining 140 hectares?
2. Despite Kanjurmarg being the most suitable site from technical as well as financial aspects, the car shed is not shifted to Kanjurmarg to benefit the builder lobby. Stalin, an activist and a member of the ACG group who addressed the journalists said that about 250 acres between the Kanjurmarg and Aarey plots could be used for commercial development worth at least Rs 60,000 crores.
3. Stalin said that if the Kanjurmarg plot is used only for the Metro 6 elevated line, then just 40 acres (15 hectares) of land is needed and the balance of 60 acres (25 hectares) would be available for builders to develop for ‘Depot Ancillary’ use. However, if it is used entirely for the integrated depot for Metro lines 3, 4, and 6, then the entire 100 acres (40 hectares) would get used up, leaving no non-CRZ land for the developer to develop under the garb of ancillary use. To prove their claims, he presented a list of supporting documents.
4. The claim by the government that only 0.6% of Aarey will be utilized for Metro card shed has been countered by Stalin by showing evidence where a state government-appointed committee headed by the then chief secretary Sanjay Kumar said the depot area allotted to the car shed (25 hectares) will be insufficient as it will be able to hold only 248 coaches whereas the actual requirement will be of 440 coaches. This means the current area allotted to the car shed in Aarey will go for expansion in near future.
5. Aarey forest and Sanjay Gandhi National Park are contiguous pieces of land separated only by a wall. Stalin showed the proof with photographs.
6. The delay in the Metro 3 line is not because of the activists but because of the new government's adamant stance to not shift the car shed out of Aarey. In 2015, it was Devendra Fadnavis’s government who had proposed to integrate the Metro 6 and Metro 3 lines and take the bogies to Kanjurmarg. If they would have continued to implement their existing plan there would not have been the loss of ex chequers as well as so much delay in the metro work. Moreover, there wouldn't have been any loss to Mumbai's green lungs.
https://www.facebook.com/indian.stalin/posts/10158820135107892
7. There have been 400 crores spent at Aarey for Metro car shed as claimed by Fadnavis led government. Stalin points out that the cost of the metro car shed project on the official portal of MMRCL is 328 crores. Out of which 70 crores have been spent till today as per an RTI document. Of 70 crores, 5 crores have been spent to cut some 200 trees.
8. The cost of Metro 3 has escalated by Rs.10000 crores due to delay in building the car shed at Aarey as claimed by the government. Stalin says that this is a lie as the work of Metro 3 is incomplete at various levels throughout the Metro 3 line and has no connection with the car shed location. He says that the land acquisition cost for building a car shed can be saved if the depot is shifted to Kanjurmarg because the land belongs to the state government. The land at Kanjurmarg is free from residential, commercial, social impact, litigations, and rehabilitation issues. 42 hectares of land can be saved with proper planning of an integrated depot at Kanjurmarg. So there will be savings of 1511 crores and not a loss of 10000 crores as claimed.
9. A tribal representative at the press conference aired the pain of his community due to this land scam happening at Aarey. They feel left out by the government which doesn’t take them into consideration while planning the development projects on their ancestral lands. They worship and revere the very forest that the government doesn’t even consider the forest. They have inherited this forest land from their ancestors and want to pass it to their younger generation which the government is considering usurping.
Sharing the link to the video of the press conference again: