Centre's Department of Industry and Trade Promotion (DPIIT) has sent a letter to Maharashtra government directing it to restrain MMRDA from developing the car shed at Kanjurmarg as it would be “against the interest of GOI.”
The Thackeray government had decided to shift the metro car shed in Aarey to 102 acres land at Kanjurmarg. The DPIIT letter states: “The improper and unilateral action of the collector, MSD and MMRDA has caused severe loss to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India. I would request you to take necessary steps and to direct the collector to withdraw the orders passed in this regard in order to protect the interests of the Government of India.”
Construction of Metro Car Shed has started on 102 acres in Kanjur Marg. Following this, DPIIT has sent a letter to the state government instructing it to stop construction. Guruprasad Mohapatra, an officer of the Gujarat cadre, is the head of the DPIIT department. 'The action taken by the Collector, MSD and MMRDA has caused huge losses to DPIIT. In order to protect the interests of the Government of India, I request that the orders issued by the District Collector in this regard be revoked, 'Mohapatra said in the letter.
When contacted, Aaditya Thackeray, state minister of tourism and environment said,“The land does not belong to the government of India, it belongs to the state government,”
The state government is ready to take legal action in the matter, senior sources in the administration said. 'We expected objections from the Center. That’s why we took a full look at the place. All paperwork was also completed. The land in Kanjurmarg is owned by the state government. The required process was completed before the space was transferred to MMRDA. Therefore, we will reply to the letter of DPIIT, 'said a senior official.