Don’t cut anything now, the Supreme Court said on Monday as it wanted to examine the entire Aarrey Colony case.

The top court was hearing pleas against the felling of trees after a group of 29 students wrote to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

The special bench of the apex court said no trees will be cut in the Aarey region till it examines the entire thing and posted the matter for hearing on October 21 before its forest bench.

The petitioners argued that Aarey forest was deemed as “unclassified forest” by the state government and hence the felling of tress is illegal.

The bench, however, replied that Aarey forest is a no development zone and not eco-sensitive zone.

The cutting of trees began on Friday to build a metro car shed. Section 144 was imposed around the area as protests were held against the tree felling.

Twenty-nine protestors were arrested on Saturday after clashes broke out between security forces and activists. Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar was too detained on Sunday but later released.

The Maharashtra government told the special bench, comprising justices Arun Mishra and Ashok Bhushan, that all those arrested have been released.

The bench told the government that if anybody is still under arrest, they need to be released forthwith on furnishing of personal bonds.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMTCL) action began hours after Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and activists challenging the decision of the tree authority of the Mumbai civic body to allow the felling of trees.

On Saturday, the activists suffered another jolt after the high court refused to stay the cutting of trees. They had had sought the stay so that they could approach the Supreme Court.

Opposition parties have criticised the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena for failing to save the trees. Yuva Sena leader Aditya Thackeray has also spoken against the tree felling by the metro authorities and came in support of the protesters.

Metro authorities say the felling is restricted to a small area and is necessary to ensure a modern transport system. The proposed car shed for the Metro-3 line (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) will occupy 33 hectares.