Officially, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) wants nothing more than the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to lift the stay order on Metro construction in Aarey Milk Colony. Behind the scenes, however, it seems like the Metro authorities could care less. A citizen activist was shocked to see construction work in progress on the plot opposite the Metro III car depot site, in violation of the NGT's orders.

This, even as the MMRC last week moved the Delhi bench of the NGT to ask that the stay order on construction be lifted. The NGT had issued a status quo order, declaring that no construction work would be allowed in Aarey as long as it is hearing the case against the controversial Metro III, which threatens to axe nearly 3,000 trees.