MUMBAI: In what may become another point of conflict between the two, the central government has called on the Maharashtra government to prevent the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority from developing a Underground car shed in Kanjurmargsources said Tuesday.
According to sources, the Center’s Department of Industry and Inland Trade Promotion has written to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra asking them to stop building the proposed subway car shed in the Kanjurmarg area.
The Maharashtra government had previously stopped work on the Aarey subway car shed, over which hundreds of people held protests in October last year, and announced that the project will move to Kanjurmarg.
According to sources, the 102-acre land in Kanjurmarg is under the salt commissioner, who reports to the Department of Industry Promotion and Domestic Trade of the Government of India.
Speaking about development, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya accused the state government of “misleading the people of the state” and ignoring the recommendations of two committee reports.
“The Manoj Saunik Committee has clearly said that changing the car shed project is not a viable option and that it will add a 5,000 crore charge and delay the project by five years. I challenge the Uddhav Thackeray government to make Manoj’s reports public. Saunik Committee and Ajay Mehta Committee, “Somaiya said.
He said the two committee reports also mentioned who owns the land.
In October last year, logging in the Aarey colony had created a rift between former allies BJP and Shiv Sena, with the then chief minister. Devendra Fadnavis lobbying for the project and the Thackeray-led party protesting the proposed car shed.
The Aarey subway shed project, maintained by the Maharashtra government, met with opposition from environmentalists and others last year in an attempt to protect the stretch of forest considered the city’s lung.
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