04 October,2016 05:00 PM IST | | Shashank Rao
The city’s green cover has once again become a casualty in the cause of development
Arial view of wadala in and around eastern Freeway on 04/10/2016. Pic/Shadab Khan
The city's green cover has once again become a casualty in the cause of development. The Mumbai Metropolitan Rail Corporation (MMRC) has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to remove more than 40 trees at Wadala, near Bhakti Park, where the casting yard for the metro rail project, which is coming up between Andheri (E) and Dahisar (E), will come up where pillars and girders will be manufactured.
On October 4, the civic body's Tree Authority posted tenders stating that MMRC had asked for permission to remove the trees. Sources said in order to implement the metro line-7, there was need for a casting yard at Wadala.
"Girders and pillars for the metro rail-7 will be constructed here. Once ready, they will be transported to the site," said Dilip Kawatkhar, Deputy Metropolitan Commissioner and spokesperson, MMRDA.
Presently, this land is next to the Wadala Monorail station, while the Eastern Freeway runs perpendicular to it. It is a lush, green space with power transmission towers passing alongside it. Once permission is given, the trees here will be removed.
"We will be transplanting 42 trees from here to another location," said another official from MMRDA. The work was supposed to begin from September 15, but because of the incessant rain, they haven't been able to start work.
Barricades have already been placed on the WEH for the work on the metro line. These barricades on the Andheri-Dahisar stretch have eaten up an entire lane for motorists and have been causing traffic jams. Once the piling work begins, the situation is likely to worsen as there will be heavy machinery for drilling roads, garbage trucks and trailers carrying girders and pillars parked on the WEH.
