Mumbai: No plans to widen road inside Aarey Milk Colony, says BMC

The Aarey land has now got the status of a reserved forest. File pic/Satej Shinde

Days after a green activist claimed the civic body is trying to convert the two-lane thoroughfare into four lanes under the pretext of concretisation, which will lead to loss of green cover, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claimed there is no proposal of widening of existing asphalt road.

The civic body on Wednesday issued a statement saying, "The tender for the work of improvement of the main road in Aarey Milk Colony from Western Express Highway to Morarji Nagar is invited by MCGM. The scope of work includes improvement of existing road for the available width in cement concrete. There is no proposal of widening the existing asphalt road. During the improvement of road, due care will be taken to protect existing trees & the adjoining Aarey forestry. Necessary mitigation measures will be taken care of as per the direction of Chief Conservator of Forest."

On October 12, mid-day did a story (BMC plan to widen Aarey main road rings alarm bells) in which the activist said pockets inside the green zone are now parts of a reserved forest and BMC shouldn't think of the road as a short cut.