Mumbai: Political Slugfest Over Metro Line 6 Car Shed Ends, MMRDA Floats Tender To Build Depot At Kanjurmarg

After a long slugfest, the Maharashtra government has given its go -ahead to build a car shed for Metro Line 6 at Kanjur in Kanjurmarg.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is executing this metro line, has invited bids for the Rs 508-crore project that includes a stabling yard, depot control centre, administrative office, staff quarters, maintenance and workshop buildings, and a substation.

The 15.31-km-long Metro Line 6 stretches from Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli (Eastern Express Highway) and passes through Jogeshwari, Western Express Highway (WEH), and Powai.

The fully elevated line gives interchange facilities for four other metro lines namely Adarsh Nagar of Line-2A (Dahisar to DN Nagar), Seepz village of Line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ), Kanjurmarg West of Line-4 (Wadala – Kasarvadavali) and JVLR station of Line-7 (Andheri (East) – Dahisar (East)), apart from two suburban railway stations – Kanjurmarg and Jogeshwari.

Comprising of 13 stations, the major portion of the line will run through Jogeshwari–Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), an elevated corridor that will link the WEH and EEH as well as the North-South and East-West regions of Mumbai.

Debate

In 2019, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government headed by Uddhav Thackeray decided to build a common depot at Kanjurmarg for four Metro lines – Metro Line 3, 4, 6 and 14. This followed the opposition to metro 3 car shed being built in Aarey Milk Colony which was subsequently stopped.

However, the plan could not take off after the Centre claimed stakes on land parcels since they are a part of salt pan land. The Centre also approached the Bombay high court staking claim on the land.

Later, after the government led by Eknath Shinde came to power, the controversial Metro 3 depot was again shifted back to Aarey and only now the State government has provided clearance for Metro Line 6 depot at Kanjurmarg.

Status

The civil works of line 6 is going on in full swing, with over 70 per cent work completed.

Further, in June this year, the MMRDA floated tender worth Rs 989 crore to procure 108 standard gauge cars (coaches) for the operation of Line 6.

While the expected completion timeline for this project is November or December 2024, it may stretch further, as the construction of a Metro depot at Kanjurmarg salt pan land will take another 30-odd months.

Sanjay Mukherjee, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said, “The construction of the Kanjurmarg depot, spanning across 15 hectares, will include essential facilities such as 18 stabling lines, workshop, maintenance line, automatic train washing facility, operational control centre, and staff quarters. Once the contractor receives the letter of intent, the project is expected to be completed within a period of 30 months.”

The Rs 6,7116 crore project which is fully funded by the National Development Bank (NDB), will provide the much-needed rail-based connectivity between the western and eastern suburbs, and contribute to an integrated public transport network for Mumbaikars.