Mumbai On two occasions in the past week, citizens have written to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to oppose the de-booking of 25 hectares of parks and green spaces, with the aim of building the tunnels Thane-Borivali twins.

TMC had, on November 22, published a public notice requesting comments and objections on the matter. The project, executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is expected to begin construction in March 2022.

In accordance with TMC’s public notice, it is proposed to remove three plots of land measuring 17 hectares, 6 ha and 2.6 ha from the categories of “green zone”, “zoological park” and “residential park”, respectively. , and included in the development of the city of Thane under a modified land use category “Twin tunnel (underground)”.

This decision has aroused the wrath of environmentalists and groups. In a statement to Thane City Commissioner on Monday, activist Zoru Bhatena wrote: “The very purpose of an underground tunnel is to protect the environment at ground / surface level; and the construction of an underground tunnel can never affect land use at ground level. This proposal to modify the land reserve (on the surface) for an underground tunnel was issued with the complete non-application of the spirit.

“If you do not reject this proposed modification (deletion) of 25.60 ha of parks and green spaces, we will have no choice but to take this matter to the honorable courts and show the clumsy driving. of the Municipal Corporation of Thane by deserving parks and green zones for completely fallacious reasons ”, continues Bhatena’s letter.

In a similar performance on December 17, the Mumbai-based NGO Conservation Action Trust (CAT) recommended carrying out a comprehensive environmental and traffic survey for the project and making the details public before sanctioning any changes. of Thane’s development plan for the same.

“We ask you not to consider the proposed modification of DP for the tunnel. Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a unique protected area in the city of Mumbai. The forest lands of the SGNP are being lost at a rapid rate. The construction of new roads will result in induced road traffic. Instead of proposing new roads, the authorities must strengthen the existing road network and improvise on the public transport system. The proposed project must be rejected at this very stage.

Prasad Khale, Senior Conservation Officer, CAT, also wrote that the need for this project is “highly debatable” given the multiple development pressures on the ecology of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. “In addition to this tunnel, there is a proposed 4.7 km tunnel from Film City, Goregaon to Amar Nagar, Goregaon, construction of an elevated road and widening of Ghodbunder Road, Thane, cable car from Thane to Borivali, corridor freight proposed to Delhi Mumbai passing between Tungareshvara National Park and Wildlife Reserve, Metro car shed and the diversion of forest land to create a parking lot, ”Khale wrote.

Hindustan Times has contacted Dr Vipin Sharma, municipal commissioner of Thane, for comment. This story will be updated when he responds.