In what may become another point of conflict between the two, the Central government has asked the Maharashtra government to stop the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority from developing a metro car shed at Kanjurmarg, sources said on Tuesday.
According to sources, the Centre's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has written to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra asking them to stop the construction of the proposed metro car shed in Kanjurmarg area.
The Maharashtra government had earlier halted the work of Aarey metro car shed, over which protests were held by hundreds of people in October last year, and announced that the project will be relocated to Kanjurmarg.
According to sources, the 102-acre land at Kanjurmarg comes under the salt commissioner, who reports to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India.
Speaking on the development, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya accused the state government of "fooling the people of the state" and bypassing the recommendations of two committee reports.
"Manoj Saunik Committee has clearly said that shifting the car shed project is not a viable option and that it will add a burden of Rs 5,000 crore and delay the project by five years. I dare Uddhav Thackeray government to make public the reports of the Manoj Saunik Committee and Ajay Mehta Committee," Somaiya said.
He said that the two committee reports also mentioned whom the land belongs to.
Back in October last year, the felling of trees in the Aarey Colony had drawn a wedge between former allies BJP and Shiv Sena, with then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis pushing for the project and Thackeray-led party coming out in protest against the proposed car shed.
Aarey metro car shed project, stayed by the Maharashtra government, was opposed by environmentalists and others last year in a bid to protect the stretch of forest area considered as the lungs of the city.
( With inputs from ANI )
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