October 22, 2025: The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has granted its approval for the crucial connectivity between Mumbai Metro Line 4 and Line 4A and the proposed Mogharpada car depot in Thane. The project has now been recommended to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for final clearance, according to a Times of India report.
Proposed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the plan includes the construction of a 25-metre-wide elevated approach road with a metro spur line linking the depot to an existing 40-metre-wide road approximately 200 metres away. To establish this link, 20 piers will be constructed across a small creeklet that falls within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). The MCZMA has reiterated that no mangroves will be cut during the project’s execution.
The 32.32 km-long Metro Line 4 connects Wadala to Kasarvadavli, while the 2.7 km-long Line 4A extends the route to Gaimukh. The MMRDA clarified that the Mogharpada depot lies outside the CRZ and that the new approach road will provide essential operational connectivity without disturbing ecologically sensitive zones.
In the same meeting, the MCZMA also recommended the proposed expansion of the Dharamtar Jetty by JSW Dharamtar Port Private Limited (JSWDPPL) to the Centre. Initially approved in 2015 for a total length of 1,750 metres, the jetty currently has 1,050 metres developed and nine berths operational.
The planned expansion aims to increase capacity to 54 million tonnes of cargo annually, supporting operations at a nearby steel plant. The recommendation includes strict conditions such as maintaining a 50-metre buffer zone, avoiding debris dumping, and prohibiting construction in mangrove areas.
Source: Swarajya
