Government bound to cut trees as 'development is important': CM Devendra Fadnavis on Mumbai Aarey forest protests

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said that the government is bound to cut trees in Mumbai's Aarey forest area as "development is important".

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation has announced its plan to cut down over 2, 700 trees from Aarey colony in order to build a car shed for the Metro.

The colony, spread over 13,000 hectares, is home to over 27 Adivasi villages and inhabits various animal species.

"We do not wish to cut even a single tree in Aarey, but the development is also important. We will plant more trees in place of those cut. I will personally speak to Aditya Thackeray about this," he told the media persons.

On the contrary, Thackeray had asserted that his party will not allow the trees to be razed.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis also showed exuberance over Udayanraje, former NCP leader and descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, joining the BJP.

"It is good for us that many leaders are now leaving their parties to join BJP," he said.