Netizens React As Eknath Shinde Orders Metro Car Shed Construction in Aarey

In 2020, the Uddhav Thackeray government declared 600 acres of Aarey Colony as a 'reserve forest'.

Maharashtra has gone through a severe political crisis since 21 June. After Uddhav Thackeray stepped down, Eknath Shinde has been sworn in as Maharashtra's new CM. In the first cabinet meeting after the turmoil, many key decisions from the previous cabinet were reversed including the construction of a metro car shed in Aarey Milk Colony also known as Aarey Forest.

This decision has caused a frenzy among netizens, especially Mumbaikars, who have been fighting to save Aarey Forest.

Aarey Forest is an eco-sensitive zone and one of the few green spaces remaining in Mumbai. Previously, in 2019, BMC had cleared a proposal of felling 27,000 trees for creating a space for the car shed. This had caused massive protests in and outside Mumbai. Activitsts, common people, and even celebrities had come out on the streets to demonstrate against the BMC's decision.

As a result, the Uddhav Thackeray government had declared around 600 acres of the forest as 'reserve forest' banning the construction in the area.

The new CM has reversed this decision on his very first day in office. The new Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, has directed the advocate general to file a proposal on the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz metro car shed and to move the project back to the Aarey Colony.

This has once again sparked a row offline and online, and many citizens have condemned this move.

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