Under pressure from ally Shiv Sena, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has assured that his government is studying the feasibility and possibility of constructing the Metro track along the coastal road.
There are demands from the Shiv Sena to scrap Metro III as it involves shifting residents from Girgaum and Kalbadevi in south Mumbai which are predominantly Marathi majority areas.
In the suburbs also, it has opposed the setting up of the Metro car shed at Aarey colony. Residents and NGOs have also been opposing the Metro III car shed. Fadnavis has temporarily put the construction of the car shed on hold and a committee has been set up on shifting the project away from the colony.
The government has also proposed three alternate locations to relocate the project from Aarey colony, city’s green belt. Fadnavis, while replying to a query during the Question Hour, informed the Legislative Council that a total of 2,298 trees will have to be felled for the proposed car shed, of which 2,044 trees will be replanted.
“The Tree Authority has suggested that of 2,044, 800 trees can be planted in the same area and the rest somewhere else. Remaining, 254 trees cannot be planted,” Fadnavis informed the House.
Fadnavis promised in situ-rehabilitation for the South Mumbai residents and even offered new homes that are double the size of their current ones. The residents of Girgaum and Kalbadevi in south Mumbai will have to shift if the metro construction takes place. However, residents and in particular the Shiv Sena, are not convinced.
Speaking in the House, he conceded that people residing in the area are against the construction of the Metro car shed and said that all efforts are being made to shift the project to a more suitable place.
The government is seeking inputs from a groups in the Netherlands on the feasibility of the project.
