Mumbai High Court Dismisses Petitions Challenging Land Acquisitions For Mumbai Metro-4 Corridor

The Bombay High Court on 30 March dismissed two petitions filed against acquisition of private plots for the proposed Mumbai Metro Line-4, between Wadala and Kasarvadavali in Thane.

As per a Times of India report, the bench stated that under the garb of protecting and enforcing private rights of their properties, they have made attempts to stall and delay a public project of immense importance.  

The High Court bench of acting Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice S V Marne, said it did not find any error in the action of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and state government in the process of finalising the alignment of Metro Line-4 acquisition proceedings and its implementation.

The first petition had been filed by Indo Nippon Chemical Co Ltd, seven years ago, while the second petition was filed by Shree Yashwant Co-operative Housing Society Ltd in 2019.

Both petitioners claimed that the alignment of the corridor impacted their properties and argued that the project's implementation violated statutory regulations.

Indo Nippon Chemical Co Ltd aimed to safeguard its 2,025 sqm of land located in Ghatkopar village, which houses its commercial operations with two warehouses and a ready-mix cement plant.

It argued that the livelihoods of more than 200 employees were dependent on its operations. The company owns, in total 7,332.5 sqm of land in Ghatkopar.

The company had challenged the government’s actions — including the notification issued by the union government on 23 March 2017, which added the Metro-4 alignment in Schedule-II of the Metro Act, 1978, as well as the government resolution (GR) passed on 25 October 2016, by which the state government had given approval for the project's execution.

The Yashwant Society informed the court that pillars for the Metro project would be erected on the sidewalk adjacent to its property.

In response to the petitions, the representatives of MMRDA and the state government asserted that all statutory provisions had been followed while determining the project's alignment.

The court, dismissing the pleas, clarified that the companies are entitled for lawful compensation.

It held, “Writ petitions filed by petitioners are devoid of merits and deserve to be dismissed,” as per reports.

Additionally, observing that the work is of public nature, the court refused to grant a stay on the operation of its judgment.

The Metro Line-4 is part of the Green Line and will be 32.32 km long starting from Kasarvadavali, near Thane in the north, to Wadala, south Mumbai — providing an alternate public transport connectivity for Thane city with Mumbai.

Currently, the metro line is more than 41 per cent ready and expected to be opened in a phased manner.

This network is proposed to be extended through Metro Line-11 connecting Wadala to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) with a total length of 12.77 km.

In its entirety, the Green Line corridor will be around 57.11 km in length, connecting Shivaji Chowk, Gaimukh, Kasarawadavali, Wadala and CSMT through 48 stations.