Uddhav Thackeray orders stoppage of work for Aarey car shed

Former CM Devendra Fadnavis slams the decision.

A day after taking oath as the Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray has ordered stoppage of work for the Aarey car shed.

“I have given orders to stop work on Aarey car shed,” said Mr. Thackeray while addressing a press conference.

“I have not ordered work [on the Metro project] to stop but I won't allow trees to be killed … Not even one tree will be cut as long as I am the CM. I will review how and why these trees were cut,” he added.

Mumbai witnessed major protests by environmentalists and social activists against the felling of over 2,500 trees in the city’s Aarey colony to construct a proposed car shed for the Mumbai Metro Rail project.

However, former CM Devendra Fadnavis slammed the decision and said the State Government is not serious about Mumbai's infrastructure. "It is unfortunate that the State Government stayed Aarey Metro car shed work in spite of the Supreme Court and High Court orders. The ultimate sufferer is the common Mumbaikar only" said Mr. Fadnavis.

"Japan’s JICA had funded ₹15,000 crore for this Metro project on nominal interest rates. Such decisions will demotivate investors to come forward in future and all infrastructure projects will get stalled which were already delayed for so long in the previous 15 years," he said.