The Maharashtra government approved the Metro 8 line on February 24 to connect the Navi Mumbai airport with Mumbai’s international airport. The decision was taken to improve connectivity between the two airports. A car shed near the interstate bus station has also been included in the project.
As part of the plan, 27.2 hectares of designated mangrove land at Mandale will be used for the car shed. The urban development department issued a government resolution confirming the transfer of this land. According to reports, the land is located next to the Metro 2B Mandale car depot.
The decision has raised concerns among environmentalists and activists. They have objected to the use of mangrove land for infrastructure work. The same questions were raised for other car sheds, similar to the one proposed in Bhayandar and the Metro 3 carshed in the Aarey forest area.
As per sources, land near the airport was reserved for commercial use, so building the car shed at Mandale came up as a simpler option. The cabinet has cleared the entire process, and all required approvals from authorities will be obtained before any work begins.
The Comprehensive Transport Study of 2021 also highlighted the need for a metro link through Thane Creek. The report noted the rapid growth of Navi Mumbai and the rising number of passengers travelling between the two cities. It warned that existing public transport systems may not be sufficient in the future.
Environmental activists have strongly criticised the land transfer. Activists have asked why the metro depot could not be shifted to slum land. He said government land could be used to provide housing to slum dwellers instead.
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