January 23, 2026: Mumbai’s much-delayed Metro Line 6 is now slated to begin operations in the second half of 2026, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) opting for an interim maintenance solution amid continued uncertainty over the proposed car depot at Kanjurmarg. By adopting an alternative operational strategy, the authority has chosen to move forward rather than allow land-related delays to further stall the project.
The 15.31-km Pink Line will provide a critical east–west rail link, connecting Swami Samarth Nagar in Andheri (West) to Vikhroli. Once operational, the corridor is expected to significantly ease cross-city travel and reduce pressure on congested road networks.
In the absence of a full-fledged depot, MMRDA is developing an unconventional elevated maintenance facility. This structure, an eight-lane corridor with multiple pit lines, is being built parallel to the Eastern Express Highway. Construction is already underway, and officials say the arrangement will allow routine upkeep of metro rakes without waiting for depot approvals.
“We have planned this unique maintenance yard for the rakes. Eight elevated pit lines will be built that will allow our staff to do regular maintenance and checks of the rakes. For scheduled periodic overhauling, they can be transported to our Mandale depot,” a MMRDA official was quoted as saying in a Hindustan Times report.
The stopgap solution comes after prolonged delays in securing nearly 15 hectares of land at Kanjurmarg, earmarked for the Line 6 car depot. The parcel, categorised as salt pan land, is still awaiting final government clearance. Officials have acknowledged that waiting for the depot could postpone operations by several years.
“But with the elevated eight-pit deck and single-pit lines next to metro stations wherever possible, we need not wait for the Kanjurmarg car depot,” another official was cited as saying, adding that depot construction itself would take two to three years once land is allotted.
Estimated to cost around Rs 6,700 crore, Metro Line 6 has faced multiple setbacks since construction began in 2017. In a twist of irony, the area originally identified for a conventional depot near the Eastern Express Highway is now being repurposed to support this interim elevated maintenance system, helping keep the long-awaited project on track.
