Metro Car Shed: Bombay HC Seeks Clarification From State Over Kanjurmarg Salt Pan Lands

The Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra Government if the manufacturing of salt at Kanjurmarg has been halted and if the land will then go to the state. Kanjurmarg is the site of the metro car shed project undertaken by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The state recently transferred 102 acres of land to the MMRDA for this purpose. 

“If manufacture of salt has ceased, then the land goes to the state government? How is the order notified?,” the division bench consisting of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni asked the state.

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Meanwhile, the Central Government had opposed this proposal claiming that the salt pan lands in Kanjurmarg belong to the Centre. The plea was filed via the Deputy Salt Commissioner whose office challenged a November 2018 order from the State Revenue Minister declaring that the state-owned most of the salt pans in Mumbai, while a few others were said to be privately owned. 

The Maharashtra Government was represented by Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni who said that Kanjurmarg was not a part of the 22 salt pan lands. It’s worth noting that the state revenue department had previously ordered an inquiry into this matter. 

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The state had issued the land transfer order via the Mumbai Suburban Collector on October 1 and handed over possession of the land to the MMRDA on October 6 this year. 

Additional Solicitor General, Anil Singh who was speaking on behalf of the Central Government, said that the collector’s order on October 1 did not reveal how the state was in possession of the land in question while arguing that this was a suitable case to grant a stay in the operation of the order. 

The bench will reportedly hear responses from AG Kumbhakoni at the next hearing on Friday. 

Also read - Centre Makes Claims Over Kanjurmarg Metro Shed Land; Bombay HC Asks State Govt. To Respond