Aarey Conservation Group is a Citizens Movement that was spontaneously formed to spearhead the maintenance of biodiversity in the Aarey Milk Colony which is one of the only remaining forest area in the city of Mumbai This presentation lists and analyses the various options for the location of the Yard for the Mumbai Metro III Project

1. Welcomes
Friends from Media

2. Presents
20/11/2015

3. Metro Car shed,
Aarey,
and
The Technical
Committee Report
Analysis and comprehensive revelation of
the process and report.

4. MMRDA through its subsidiary MMRCL makes an
appearance Aarey Colony
Background
Puts up notices on 2298 trees stating that they are
slated for destruction /relocation so that a Metro line
3 carshed can be built on the location
Citizens groups and NGOs unite and vehemently oppose the
proposal.
Faced with stiff public opposition and Media
reports, CM intervenes and sets up a committee

5. Committee Formed
• March 11th 2015 the GoM issues GR
announcing the formation of committee.
• Constitution of the committee is
– Metropolitan Commissioner
– Principal Secretary UD.
– MCGM commissioner
– Dr Rakesh Kumar (Head Scientist NEERI)
– Dr Shyam Asolekar (Professor/Scientist IIT)
• The report to be submitted in One Month

6. Committee Begins Work
Meets on
March 19th 2015
April 06th 2015
April 18th 2015
April 24th 2015
May 13th 2015
May 22nd 2015
*** No MoM ( Minutes of Meeting) made or provided to public.

7. Right to Information Route
• Filed RTI on 22nd June, 2015
• Reply comes stating that information not
available.
• First appeal filed on 21st July, 2015
• Date of hearing 5th August, 2015
• Time sought by MMRDA for 45 days
• Finally the report handed over on 28th October,
2015.
Minutes of Meeting not included!!!

8. Mandate of the Committee as per
the report
• To study the alternatives for locating the car depot
• To “minimise” the loss of trees at Aarey if
“suitable” alternative is not found.
• To suggest mitigating measures to the site at Aarey
Colony.
2 out of 3 actions directed towards
“positioning” the Car Shed inside Aarey
Colony.

9. Nine Possible Alternatives
All nine alternatives suggested by the
Citizens groups of the Save Aarey Movement.
MMRDA repeatedly maintained that there
was no other land available or suitable

10. The Suggested Alternative Sites
• Backbay Reclamation
• Mahalaxmi Race Course
• Mumbai Port Trust
• Dharavi
• Mumbai University, Kalina
• Sariput Nagar
• Bandra Kurla Complex
• Kanjurmarg
• Aarey( Not suggested remotely also by the citizens
but mentioned in the report yet pursued by MMRDA)

11. Option 1: Backbay Reclamation Site
Merits of Backbay Site as per report:
• Close to proposed route, less than one Km
• Area if reclaimed sufficiently large for the depot.

12. Demerits of the site as per the report
Point 1: 3.5 ha of Mangroves exist so they will get
“irreversibly damaged”
The several projects are cleared on the assumption
that three times more mangroves will be planted.
Point 2: Entry and exit will require ramps to be
made.
This is true even for Aarey.
Point 3: 7000 Hutments exist near the site.
So they will be allowed to live peacefully for ever at
the site?

13. Demerits of the site as per the report
Point 4: Relocating 7000 hutments will cost Rs. 1000
Crores.
ACG submits that with the slums intact, the land is still
big enough.
Point 5: Reclamation of 15 ha is environmentally
damaging.
The coastal road which is being cleared on the submission
that environment damage will be minimum after 168ha of
reclamation of open sea front.
Also the land in question already has a breakwater wall
extending into the sea.

14. Demerits with the site as per the
report
Point 6: Reclamation permissions will take time.
The coastal road permissions were granted within a
fortnight of the CM visiting the MoEF&CC
Point 7: Reclamation will cost 900 crores
The details of this expenses are not known.
Point 8: Additional time will be lost and about 5 -7
years will be needed for a fresh design!
The revised plan of the Aarey site was made within
record time.

15. Option 2: Mahalaxmi Race Course
(ref. page 21 of the Report)
Merits as per MMRDA
• Site is located within one km of the route

16. Demerits of Mahalaxmi Site (As per Report)
•The spectators stand is a heritage structure which could get
affected.
•Many heritage structures are present along the metro route.
Still the route there are no issues raised.
•The land is leased to Royal Western India Turf Club.
•A lease can be terminated, RWTC do not OWN the land.
•An underground facility can be considered but underground
depots are unsafe and costly to maintain.
•Considering that the Metro itself is underground at various
locations doesn’t this statement seem hollow and untenable?

17. Demerits of Mahalaxmi Site as per
report
•Only the racing area of 19.2ha is available for the project
The “revised” Aarey” proposal was fit into 20ha.
•Area is inadequate to construct a depot.
This was “still” considered as an option in the main proposal.
•It is centrally located so not advisable.
The reasoning given defeats the logic.
•500 Trees will be destroyed.
In Aarey 2298 trees will be destroyed

18. Option 3: Mumbai Port Trust
(MbPT)
Merits as per MMRDA
• None

19. Demerits of MbPT as per report
•No Contiguous parcel of land available
Land is available(see picture) There are hundreds of unused
warehouses on the site.
•Land is leased to private parties
Leases can be terminated since they are not used for the purposes
given and the land is lying unused.
•Land is proposed to be used to expand existing port facilities.
The fourth terminal of JNPT is already being prepared and Mumbai
is losing its ground as a port.
Proposed marinas and a tourist recreation hub at MbPT.
The extended Victoria dock terminal is lying unused for the past
two years.

20. Demerits of MbPT as per report
•The extended line will have to cross railway tracks and
needs engineering modifications.
•Technology exists to move the route underground to avoid
conflict.
•Proposed alignment will move beneath dense areas of
South Mumbai .
•Tunnel boring can be done to reduce the impact on the
ground level activities.
•Switchover ramps will be needed
•Whatever is needed for the operations will have to be built.

21. Option 4: Dharavi
Merits as per MMRDA
• None

22. Demerits of Dharavi
It involves massive relocation of slums.
Dharavi Revamp is that already over due and is
Govt.’s pet project
Switch over ramp needed
If its needed ,it means it has to be built, there
cannot be two ways about it.

23. Option 5: Mumbai University Site
Merits as per MMRDA
• Less than one km from route.
• Station planned here.

24. Demerits of Mumbai University Site as per
report
Land is not available
Land is available
Land is needed for University expansion
Mumbai university has not expanded its facilities
despite having the land for over two decades.
Opposition from students.
When did MMRDA interact with students.
Here the underground depot facility was NEVER
considered.

25. Option 6: Sariput Nagar
Merits as per MMRDA
• 12ha land available
• 1km from the proposed end of the route.

26. Demerits of Sariput Nagar Site as per
report
Land is inadequate
Understandably since they have already made a 20ha
proposal which can be located ONLY in Aarey and nowhere
else in the world.
Ramp would be close to Mahakali caves road
which is an archaeological site
Many heritage structures are present along the metro
route.
The JVLR flyover built by MMRDA is in the same proximity

27. Option 7: BKC land (the best)
Merits as per
MMRDA
• Less than one km
from the route.
• Land ownership
with MMRDA so no
acquisition
involved.

28. Demerits of BKC as per the report
Since BKC is at an intermediate location, it is
unsuitable.
Untenable and illogical argument.
The land was not even given for the interstate project
Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Connectivity line.
Even national interest projects cannot make MMRDA part
with its “precious” property .
The property is worth 30,000 crores and is a revenue
earner.
BKC was created by reclaiming wetlands, MMRDA did not
buy it.
Will the MMRDA afforest that 20ha to compensate for the
proposed loss of Aarey and convert it into a open green space?

29. This is the only land available for consuming FSI .
If monetising FSI is priority, then it is necessary to
monetise biodiversity
Is commercial interest and not public interest a
priority for MMRDA
A ramp will be needed to bring the rakes up.
This is true even for Aarey
The report is silent on the possibility of an
underground car shed. It was NEVER discussed.
Demerits of BKC as per the report

30. Option 8: Kanjurmarg site

31. Option 8: Kanjurmarg site

32. Option 8: Kanjurmarg site

33. Option 8: Kanjurmarg site
Merits as per MMRDA
• Land for the Metro car shed can be easily made available.
(Page 28)
• Land is technically feasible.
• Has nominal or least impact on trees and environment.
• Ideal site for interchange in future.
• All operations can be located in one location away from
human population pressure.
• It will provide good connectivity for future needs towards
expansion needs to Thane.

34. Demerits Kanjurmarg Site as per
report
Site is under complex litigations.
The land is primarily owned by Salt department of India and
leased it out for salt manufacture.
No salt has been manufactured here for decades
The land has steadily been transformed for real estate
“development”
There is a status quo order of the Hon`ble High
Court of Bombay on the land.
MCGM has 141ha “Sanitary Landfill” in defiance of the High
Court of Bombay order. Even if the ownership is decided
against MMRDA or GoM , the owner can be compensated
using FSI for land acquired for public utility.

35. Demerits of Kanjurmarg as per report
Early possession of land appears difficult.
Leading developers are already started closing in on the land.
Residential towers have started coming up on one side of the
land.
The land is barricaded halfway into it after it was suggested that
the site could be used for the Metro car shed.
Delay in land acquisition will lead to further “Adverse
Economical and Environmental impacts!!!”
The Metro line was already proposed for Kanjurmarg
It is unethical and improper claim.

36. Barricading at Kanjurmarg site

37. Demerits of Kanjurmarg Site as per Report
This will entail an extension of 7.5kms but it can be useful for
the proposed Jogeshwari Kanjurmarg lines.
This means that it is a merit, an advantage not to be included in
“demerits”
To make the extended line another 1700 crores will be
needed.
It is not a wasteful expense as East west connectivity would
improve and it is the need of the hour.
Operational difficulties of running the rakes at night etc. would
be difficult.
If the airport can handle flights taking off and landing day and
night at one min intervals, sending some rakes at night is nothing
short of a cakewalk.

38. Option 9: Aarey Colony
Merits as per MMRDA
• Less than one km from route.
• Adequate land is available and in possession of
MMRCL (Free of cost Forest land)
• Land is available at terminal point.
• Adequate “stable depot” can be made.
• No Social impacts(??)
• Area will not impact “interior” green of Aarey.
• Work can start at the earliest.

39. Option 9: Aarey Colony

40. Option 9: Aarey Colony

41. Demerits of Aarey as per report
2298 trees to be impacted !!
Far more when compared to other sites.
It is not just the 2298 trees but the 30ha landscape.
Requires shifting of cables and pipelines.
This is major flaw for the project site selection.
Underpass to be made for Marol -Aarey road.
This is major impediment for the project.
Page 30 to page 40 extensively deal with the plans for the shed
in Aarey colony compared to the few lines or paras in less than
one page and maximum of two pages for other locations.

42. Some Interesting facts about the Metro III
Project

43. Alternative site considered for Metro III

44. Heritage Structures and Metro III
40m
22m
45m

45. Metro III and ATC Tower

46. • Minimum
need is 20
ha.
• Metro I- less
than 17ha
of land
inside dense
inhabitation
.
• 17ha due to
the round
about.
Metro III car shed and inadequate land

48. Analysis- Part I
• The entire exercise seems to be directed towards
obtaining sanction of the “revised” car shed inside
Aarey.
• There are no indications of any remote honesty
shown by MMRDA in examining the other sites,
• Our assertions have been vindicated in the report
of the Environmental experts from NEERI and IIT.(
Annexure 1)

49. Analysis- Part II
• Considering the fact that the entire issue was raised due to
citizens concerns for the environment and open spaces,
nothing was done by the committee members collectively
towards addressing it.
• The committee has excluded the environment experts views
and has attempted to unilaterally brush aside the genuine
concerns. (page 12)
• Reading clearly shows that there was NO face to face
interaction and the Environment Experts were forced to give
their submissions in writing or risk being ignored completely.

50. Analysis- Part III
• This report repeatedly claims that if the land is not
available in 3 months, then work should start in Aarey.
The haste is unwarranted
• The GoM seems to have ignored the directions of the
Hon'ble Supreme Court of India on notifying the
Ecologically Sensitive Zones around national parks
immediately.
• The GoM has allocated Aarey land to MMRDA, despite the
proposal on designating Aarey Colony as the buffer zone
and Ecologically Sensitive Zone of SGNP by the State
Forest Department to MoEF&CC.

51. Analysis- Part IV
• There seems to be deliberate ploy by MMRDA to
conceal the word Mithi in the report.
• This is significant since the proposed site is in the
immediate vicinity of catchment area of Mithi
River.

52. Closing remarks of environment experts

53. DEMANDS

54. ACG Demands
• A complete detailed review one with respect to Backbay,
Kanjurmarg .
• Immediate compliance of the Hon`ble Supreme Court order
and declaration of Aarey as an Ecologically Sensitive Zone.
This declaration will help promote Aarey as a leisure,
recreation ,nature interpretation zone and nature tourism
hub.
• Respect wishes of the people and protect the green lung of
Mumbai for the future generations and to keep slumlords and
politicians backing them out of Aarey.
• The tourism potential of Aarey can be handled by Dairy
Development Board or Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation (MTDC) without disturbing the landscape.

55. Thank You!!!