The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has requested assistance from the state government in moving the depot for the Metro 9 line (Dahisar-Bhayander) to a hillock 2.5 kilometers away from the previous depot location.
“The ideal location is where it was originally proposed,” an official with the MMRDA stated. However, due to the strong opposition of the villagers, we have requested assistance from the government to move the depot 2.5 kilometers in the direction of Uttan.”
The other locations that have been suggested either belong to private individuals or are situated on saltpan land.
The official said that the MMRDA won’t have to pay for it because the government owns the new proposed location.
However, moving to this new location will incur additional costs of between Rs 250 and Rs 300 crore, which will be required to construct stations and extend the line.
The new location is on a hillock that is 16 meters high, so depot construction work can be difficult but possible.
According to MMRDA sources, the depot work will be completed within two years of the appointment of the contractor.
MMRDA will have to rely on the Charkop depot during this time, which is currently used to operate Metro line 2A and Line 7 services.
It is anticipated that there will be no issues operating services until a dedicated depot for Metro network 9 is established because Line 7 will be connected to this line.
The MMRDA had previously planned to construct the depot in the villages of Rai, Morva, and Mudha outside of Bhayandar.
The villagers, on the other hand, were opposed to the construction of the 32-acre metro car shed and the 100-foot road that was being proposed.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called a review meeting on the matter in October 2022 after local villagers voiced their opposition to the acquisition of land for the depot site.
The 13.5-kilometre-long Metro 9 line is rapidly preparing to serve the growing population in suburban Mira-Bhayandar, reflected in this new development regarding the new location.
The connectivity is highly anticipated because it will alleviate traffic congestion at Dahisar toll naka, the city’s primary entry point.
An official with the MMRDA states that the project’s civil works are 55% complete, and the entire corridor should be finished by 2025. Ten stations will be along the Metro corridor, which is expected to cost Rs 6,600 crore.