Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday issued a notification reserving 43.76-hectare land at Kanjurmarg for the Metro car depot, a car shed and other allied purposes under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.
With this, the title issue notwithstanding, the land will have to be used exclusively for Metro and related activities. The Free Press Journal broke the story on the government’s move on February 4.
An urban development department officer told Free Press Journal, ‘'With today’s notification the land is now reserved for the Metro car depot, the car shed and other allied uses. If the high court upholds the Maharashtra Government’s plea the land will be used for Metro 3 car shed and Metro-6 (Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli) and also for Metro 14, as announced by the Chief Minister. If the court accepts the Centre’s argument then also the 43.76 hectares will have to be used for Metro and related activities. If the court rules that the land belongs to the private party then the state government will have to pay compensation towards the lease and use of the land for Metro and related activities.’’
The officer quoted the notification as saying: '‘The government considered the requests of the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority and the BMC and it was satisfied that in public interest it is expedient to change the reservation/land use in respect of a portion of the said land...for proper connectivity in the nearby vicinity."
The government has laid down three conditions while reserving the land. It is necessary to obtain necessary permissions under the Coastal Regulatory Zone modalities from the relevant State authority/Ministry of Environment and Forest.
Further, scientific mitigation measures need to be be taken during contraction and operation of the car depot. Thirdly, there will be compliance of orders of the High Court /Supreme Court in respect of the above land.
