Maha govt may approach SC on HC's Metro car shed order: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday indicated that state government may approach Supreme Court against Bombay High Court's order staying Mumbai suburban district collector's allotment of 102-acre Kanjurmarg salt pan land for Metro car shed.

Talking to reporters here, Pawar, without naming BJP, said Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government's decision to shift car depot project from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg seemed to have hurt a lot of people and that is why Centre took an extreme step.

"In Constitution and law, re is a provision of making an appeal against a court decision. Hence, it will be thought about," deputy chief minister said.

Bombay HC on Wednesday stayed order passed by Mumbai suburban district collector allotting 102 acres of salt pan land in Kanjurmarg area here for construction of an integrated Metro car shed.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni also restrained authorities from carrying out any construction work at said land.

Centre and Shiv Sena-led MVA government in Maharashtra are locked in a tussle over ownership of land earmarked by state for constructing car depot which was earlier planned at Aarey Colony, a green belt in suburban Goregaon.

previous BJP-led Maharashtra government had decided to construct car shed for Mumbai Metro line 3 at Aarey Colony, despite opposition from environmentalists and activists to vast tree-cutting for project.

present Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, comprising Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress, recently took a decision to shift car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg.

Union government had claimed entire salt pan land in area, including 102 acres allotted to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which belongs to Centre's salt department.

Union government had filed a petition in high court challenging October 1, 2020 order passed by collector allotting land for construction of car shed, and said land belongs to its (Centre's) salt department.

Pawar said be it Centre or state government, body should lay roadblocks in development works.

"I have seen (NCP chief Sharad) Pawar Sahebs 50 to 55 years of political career. I am also in political field for past 30 years. I never bring politics in developmental works, rar we help," he added.

Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said he is waiting for court's detailed order.

He also said land is crucial for Metro project as it will save almost Rs 5,500 crore of government money.

Horable HC has granted a stay to Kanjurmarg's work. We await detailed written order to decide future course of action, he said.

(IM CREDITS: PTI)