Bombay HC stays Metro car shed project in Kanjurmarg; asks MMRDA to maintain status quo

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday stayed the metro car shed project at Kanjurmarg in Mumbai and has asked Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to maintain status quo. The Maharashtra Government has agreed to take back its October 15, 2020, order of land allotment to MMRDA for Metro car shed at Kanjurmarg, according to ANI.

Centre vs MVA govt in a tussle over Kanjurmarg land

The High Court on Monday asked the Maharashtra government to consider withdrawing an order passed by the Mumbai Suburban District Collector allotting 102 acres of saltpan land at Kanjurmarg for construction of a Metro car shed. The Centre and the Shiv Sena-led MVA government in Maharashtra are locked in a tussle over ownership of the land earmarked by the state for constructing the car depot which was earlier planned at Aarey Colony, a green belt in suburban Goregaon.

The Union Government has filed a petition in the High Court challenging the order passed by the Collector allotting the land for construction of the car shed, and said the land belongs to its (the Centre) salt department. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, however, opposed the plea and said the land, allotted to MMRDA for the Metro car shed, is owned by the state.

On Monday, a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was of prime facie opinion that the Collector should give a fresh hearing to all parties concerned and settle issues related to land title ownership. "We cannot allow this order (Collectors order) to remain in force. Prima facie, we are of the view that the matter should go back to the Collector. Consider withdrawing it (the order)." "It is better you (the government) settle all these issues before you proceed further," the court said.

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READ | Bombay HC asks Maharashtra govt to consider withdrawing 'Kanjurmarg metro shed' order

The erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government had decided to construct the car shed, part of Mumbai Metro line 3, at Aarey Colony despite opposition from environmentalists and activists who campaigned against cutting of a large number of trees for the project. The present Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by the Shiv Sena and supported by the NCP and the Congress, on assuming office in November last year, decided to shift the car shed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg.

The State government has now decided to construct an integrated metro car shed at Kanjurmarg for lines 3, 4, 4A and 6, instead of building separate depots for these corridors. MMRDA advocates Milind Sathe and Saket Mone on Monday told the court that the integrated car shed would cut down the project cost.

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(With agency inputs)