BJP challenges Aaditya Thackeray for public debate over car shed row, recalls Cong stance

On Friday, BJP challenged Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray for a public debate on the shifting of the Mumbai Metro 3 car shed from Aarey to the Kanjurmarg plot. BJP MLA Ashish Shelar lamented that the state government had glossed over the fact that there is ongoing litigation on the land allocated for the car shed. According to him, the legality of the decision to allocate this land to the MMRDA for developing the car shed is under question.

In reference to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade's claim that the Kanjurmarg plot belongs to the Centre, Shelar alleged that the Congress government in 1983 had adopted the same stance. In fact, he highlighted that former CM Devendra Fadnavis and BJP state president Chandrakant Patil had tried their best to establish the Maharashtra government's ownership of the land. According to the BJP MLA, the delay caused due to the latest row was simply due to the "arrogant style of functioning". 

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar remarked, "Instead of giving secret interviews, please answer our pointed questions. We are ready to debate with you (Aaditya Thackeray) at any forum. You can’t deny that a person named Sumerlal Bafna has filed a writ petition on Survey 258 A, where the land for the car shed has been allocated. In 1997, a stay order has come.  The district collector said in October 2020 that there is a lack of clarity on this. The legality of the decision to transfer the land merely on the opinion of the Advocate General is under a cloud."

He added, "The Mumbai Metro project is getting delayed because of the car shed row triggered by you (CM). You are completely responsible for the delay in the Metro project owing to the decision taken in arrogance. I want to tell you that a Congress government in 1983 adopted the stance that the land allocated for the car shed in Kanjurmarg belongs to the Centre. This is the same party with whom you are sharing power.  From 2014 to 2018, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil made efforts to establish that this land belongs to the Maharashtra government."

Read: 'People Of Mumbai Will Have To Suffer': BJP Blames MVA Govt Over Latest Metro Car Shed Row

Read: Fadnavis 'exposes' MVA Govt's Aarey Carshed Shifting; Says 'project Delayed By 4.5 Yrs'

The latest flashpoint over Metro car shed

The Maharashtra government's decision to shift the Mumbai Metro 3 car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg has come under a cloud after the Centre's intervention. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar on November 3, the DPIIT claimed that the land allocated for the car shed in Kanjurmarg belongs to the Union government. The contention is that this salt pan land is the remit of the Salt Commissioner who reports to the DPIIT. 

As per the DPIIT, the Centre had incurred severe loss due to the state government's decision. The letter requested the Maharashtra Chief Secretary to restrain the MMRDA from developing the car shed at the Kanjurmarg plot. The department maintained that this step was necessary to protect the interests of the Central government. 

Read: Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray Orders Withdrawal Of Police Charges Against Aarey Protesters