A massive misinformation campaign, on the construction of a metro car depot in Aarey colony of Mumbai, has gripped social media. The MMRC (Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation) has been constructing the Metro Line 3 which will run through Colaba, Bandra and Seepz, and without a metro car shed, this line shall not be functional. The construction of this metro car depot has been cleared by the Supreme Court, however, environmental concerns blown out of proportion and coordinated protests across Mumbai have forced the project to halt when it comes to the construction of the metro car shed. Involved in this campaign are several hypocritical Bollywood celebrities and politicians.
Mumbai is a city that is running out of space, and its public transport systems, which are under immense pressure and near collapse, need a major overhaul to accommodate the transport needs of the people of the city. In such a time, the opposition to the construction of a metro car shed has unveiled the hypocrisy of many Bollywood celebrities and politicians. In what appeared as highly suspicious activity indicative of possibly a paid campaign against the development project, Bollywood celebrities Dia Mirza and Manoj Bajpayee posted the identical tweets within minutes of each other, in protest against the project.
Aarey Forest in Mumbai, Aravalli hills in Gurgaon, the Bullet Train project… destroying green cover for “development” is going to have devastating consequences. It’s time we strike back. Join the #GlobalClimateStrikeIndia in your city from Sep 20-27. #ChangeIsComing
— manoj bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) September 19, 2019
#Aarey Forest in Mumbai, #Aravalli hills in Gurgaon, the #BulletTrain project… destroying green cover for “development” is going to have devastating consequences. It’s time we strike back! Join the #GlobalClimateStrikeIndia in your city from Sep 20-27. #ChangeIsComing
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) September 19, 2019
Politicians like Aaditya Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, and the second in command of the Shiv Sena at the moment, is also part of the campaign to oppose this project in what appears as incredibly hypocritical and misleading behaviour.
https://twitter.com/abhijeet_dipke/status/1173575292134158336
Congress leaders too joined the bandwagon to oppose this development project meant for the public. In the name of saving trees, they aim to halt a metro rail project but celebrities and rich politicians are among the last people that should preach. The posh Royal Palms colony and the Film city near the Aarey Colony have been built by felling of thousands of trees, and it is surprising that the people housed there, or owning property there, have also taken part in the protests against a development project aimed at public welfare. Hypocrisy knows no bounds in this circle of individuals.
People who live/work in the blue circle are saying that construction of Metro shed in red circle is bad for the environment and wildlife. pic.twitter.com/JgC5h1mZwc
— Spaminder Bharti (@attomeybharti) September 19, 2019
Pic 1 is telling Pic 2 that they are being selfish and anti-environmentalist to support Mumbai Metro. pic.twitter.com/4tF2GaN6AF
— Spaminder Bharti (@attomeybharti) September 19, 2019
Lives in a beach-front building constructed after cutting dozens of trees, but that doesn't stop MrsUnfunnyBones from furthering baseless propaganda against Metro. pic.twitter.com/QNnkTtnlJ7
— Spaminder Bharti (@attomeybharti) September 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/anirudhganu/status/1174715780342136833
Let me give you an example of the brazen hypocrisy of opposition parties & Bollywoodiyas. Royal Palms is located deep inside Aarey Colony, next to protected forest of SGNP. In 2009, Royal Palms built a 422 room hotel there. Who inaugurated it? The then CM 'Adarsh' Ashok Chavan! pic.twitter.com/4AggcedQnN
— Spaminder Bharti (@attomeybharti) September 8, 2019
When Amitabh Bachchan wrote subtly in favour of metros he was hounded on social media by protesters. However, it is a rare sighting when a Bollywood star shows concern for the public good rather than selfish personal goals.
T 3290 – Friend of mine had a medical emergency, decided to take METRO instead of his car .. came back very impressed .. said was faster, convenient and most efficient .. 👍
Solution for Pollution ..
Grow more trees .. I did in my garden .. have you ❤️— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) September 17, 2019
The managing director at MMRC, Ashwini Bhide, explains that Aarey Colony is an area of over 1300 hectares out of which 25 hectares of land is required for the metro car depot construction, unlike the deliberately fanned misconception that the entire stretch of land will be used for the metro car shed.
First of all Arey land is a grazing land that belongs to Dairy development dept of the state govt and not forest. Total area is 1300 Ha. Only 25 Ha is required for metro car depot. Sometimes this land is deliberately confused with Borivali national park. It is not the same.
— Ashwini Bhide (@AshwiniBhide) March 7, 2019
About 2700 trees will be felled for this purpose whereas nearly 460 will be transplanted and over 13000 will be planted. The carbon-dioxide absorption capacity of this stretch is about 80-90 tonnes per year whereas the functional metro would prevent the emission of 2.25 lakh tonnes of the pollutants in a year.
Total tress affected for car depot are 2700 of which CO2 absorption capacity would be 80 to 90 Ton per year. Metro 3 once commissioned would reduce 2.25 lakh ton CO2 and other oxides of Carbon and Nitrogen per year. This estimation is done by independent auditors of UNFCC.
— Ashwini Bhide (@AshwiniBhide) March 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/dhaval241086/status/1169970180606218242
https://twitter.com/dhaval241086/status/1169972128755539969
Nearly 48% of the Metro Line 3 project has been completed and without the metro car depot, it will not be functional. Activists have alleged that the government is not looking for alternatives and suggest an alternative site for construction at Kanjurmarg. However, this piece of land is mired in litigation, and has already been considered and discarded by experts. Despite being given the clear by the Supreme court, these protests threaten to halt a crucial development project that could make life easier for lakhs of commuters in Mumbai who seek public transport and do not have sleek four-wheelers to take them places like many of the celebrities and politicians partaking in this obstructionist, unconstructive, slugfest.
