The issue regarding the establishment of a depot at Mogharpada for Metro lines 4 and 4A, situated between Wadala and Thane, is anticipated to be resolved. It is expected that the urban development department will present a proposal to the state cabinet for compensating the landowners.
Initially, the MMRDA had planned to set up a depot covering an area of 41 hectares, but later, they reduced the requirement to 35 hectare.
About 167 residents opposed the construction of a car shed on over 100 acres (equivalent to 41 hectare) of class II government land in the village. They claimed that they had been cultivating the land for many decades and would be deprived of their livelihood if it was acquired without compensation.
Due to this dispute, the matter of the depot could not be resolved. However, after the Shinde-Fadnavis government came into power, a new solution was proposed to overcome the deadlock. A senior official from the state government stated that they had decided to offer compensation similar to what Cidco provides in Navi Mumbai. Nevertheless, this proposal needs approval from the state cabinet before the acquisition process can be finalised.
The landowners who give up their ownership will receive 22.5% of developed land as compensation, while non-owners will receive 12.5% of developed land.
Although the location had been decided almost three years ago, the survey for the Line 4 car depot land in Mogharpada began in January 2022. An official from MMRDA mentioned, "The depot is a critical component of the project as it's where the trains are parked after operational hours. Additionally, regular and extensive maintenance of the trains takes place at the depot."
MMRDA has invited bids for the depot's construction, and a joint venture between SEW Infrastructure and Vishwa Samudra Engineering emerged as the lowest bidder with an approximate quotation of Rs 906 crore.
The Metro 4 and 4A project holds great significance for commuters in Mumbai and Thane. It not only promises to reduce travel time between the two cities but also aims to alleviate the burden on the heavily congested road and rail networks, which have already surpassed their capacity limits.
Also read:
Elevated, underground sections archives key milestones at Kanpur Metro
Pune Metro Expands to Ramwadi and Swargate After Successful Inauguration
