Mumbai Metro Line-6 has received a major legal boost after the Supreme Court declined to interfere with a Bombay High Court order supporting the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) over land proposed for the project’s Kanjurmarg car shed.
The Supreme Court’s decision removes a significant legal obstacle for the 14.5-km, 13-station elevated corridor, also known as the Swami Samarth Nagar–Vikhroli Metro Line. The route is planned as an important east-west connection, linking Mumbai’s western suburbs with the eastern side through key areas including Jogeshwari, Powai and Kanjurmarg.
The dispute was centred on land at Kanjurmarg identified for the Metro Line-6 depot. The facility will be essential for stabling, maintaining and managing trains operating along the corridor. The legal proceedings had challenged the MMRDA’s entitlement to use the land for developing the proposed depot.
With the apex court choosing not to intervene in the Bombay High Court’s February 13 order, the MMRDA has received greater clarity over the land issue, allowing the project to move forward without the same level of legal uncertainty.
Metro Line-6 is expected to strengthen connectivity between several densely populated residential and commercial districts that currently depend heavily on road-based transport. Its integration with other Metro corridors could also improve interchange options for commuters travelling across Mumbai.
The Kanjurmarg depot is particularly important because operational facilities are necessary for the long-term functioning of an elevated Metro corridor. Any prolonged uncertainty over the depot site could have affected construction and future train operations.
The latest court development therefore marks an important step for the project. While construction and other implementation activities remain to be completed, the resolution of the land-related legal challenge provides the MMRDA with a clearer path to advance the corridor.
Once operational, Metro Line-6 is expected to contribute to Mumbai’s expanding Metro network while providing commuters with an additional east-west public transport link.
Source: Mid-day
