Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan metro’s depot issue resolved

Mumbai: After having faced stiff opposition from over 100 families to construct a car shed at Kongaon-Govegaon for the Kalyan-Bhiwandi-Thane metro line, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has finally found an alternative: It’s in Bhiwandi’s Kasheli area.

The development authority has invited tenders to construct the car depot at Kasheli for a 24.90-km long metro line.

As per the tender document, the estimated construction cost, to set up all the infrastructure required such as a stabling yard, depot control centre, administrative building, maintenance and workshop buildings, auxiliary substation, finishing, plumbing, earthworks for land development, compound wall, approach road and bridge, utility duct work, drainage, staff quarters, etc., has been pegged at Rs 472.02 crore.

The bid has been floated while the process to acquire the car depot land at Mouje in Kasheli is still underway, despite the MMRDA having identified the plot over a year ago. In November 2021, during its 151th authority meeting, they had gotten a go-ahead to develop the car depot at Kasheli.

For the upcoming Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan line 5, since the planning stage, a plot at Kongaon was identified for the car depot, but stiff resistance by the locals made them have a relook at the location. They have been opposing the car depot’s location for over three years now.

The MMRDA officials are facing similar opposition from the locals at Rai, Morve and Murdha villages off Bhayandar to acquire land for Dahisar East – Bhayandar metro line’s car depot.

Locals at both the locations have opposed it, stating that they will not only lose on their land, but also their only source of livelihood, which is dependent on utilising the land parcels that the government wants to acquire for the metro’s facility.

The Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan line 5, also known as Orange line, is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 8,416 crore, and will have 15 stations along the route. A part of the alignment will be underground, hence there will be substantial increase in overall spending on this project by the time the metro line is opened for public usage.