MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Congress on Friday said the Eknath Shinde government's decision on building a metro carshed in Mumbai's Aarey forest was its first blow on the city as the move played with the health of people here.
Considering the environmental damage (of tree cutting and construction in a green lung), it was decided the carshed of Metro Line 3 will be built in Kanjurmarg instead of Aarey, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole told reporters here.
"The newly formed government is playing with the health of Mumbaikars by insisting that the carshed be made in Aarey. Environmentalists and Mumbaikars are strongly opposed to this and thousands of people had staged massive protests against the then Fadnavis government," he said.
The move to change the carshed to Kanjurmarg was obstructed by the BJP-led Centre (over ownership details), he said, adding that his party was not opposed to development.
"We are not against development, we are not against the Mumbai metro project. The decision to set up a metro project was first taken by the Congress-led government keeping in mind commuting problems of Mumbaikars. The role of the Congress is to ensure a balance between development and environment," Patole claimed.
If the new government led by Shinde is insisting on making a carshed in Aarey, then people should understand whose interest this dispensation is protecting, he added.