Understanding Mumbai’s “Save Aarey” campaign

Hundreds of protestors have been taking to the streets of Bombay, as the ‘Save Aarey’ campaign intensifies. The point of contention- a carshed for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 being built in a portion of the Aarey colony, popularly referred to as the green lungs of the city. On this episode, we discuss why the campaign illustrates the age-old development vs. conservation debate, with a parallel but often ignored Adivasi struggle to retain land. First, civic reporters Sanjana Bhalerao and Laxman Singh explain what the “Save Aarey” campaign is and what solutions environmentalists have proposed for the dispute. Next, Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of MMRCL, the company heading the metro line project, discusses why the ecological benefits of the metro line might outweigh the costs. Last, Prakash Bhoir, an Adivasi activist from Aarey, details how the Warli Adivasi community in the area is affected by the projects that come up in Aarey and how they advocate for conservation and development to go hand in hand.