Centre makes claims over Kanjurmarg Metro Shed land; Bombay HC asks State govt. to respond

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in October 2020, announced that the Metro Car Shed project will be shifted from Aarey to Kanjurmarg. The decision was announced as more than 800 acres of Aarey land has been declared as a reserve forest. Following this, the Centre had filed a writ plea, and the Bombay High Court (HC) on Friday, November 27, 2020, sought a response for the same from Maharashtra Government. 

Deputy salt commissioner has filed the same challenging the 2018-November order which stated that some salt panes were privately owned and the state government had owned the remaining in Mumbai. This information was given by the Revenue Minister. The transfer of the land was held on October 1, 2020, through the Mumbai Suburban Collector. MMRDA was then given the possession on October 6, 2020

However, later the central government stated that the construction of the car shed should be stopped. The government has sought the claim stating that the land was owned by the Centre and the maintenance of the same was under the Salt Commissionerate. The Deputy Salt Commissioner had filed the claim has claimed which said that the construction on the same should stop on an immediate basis. The divisional bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish S Kulkarni heard the petition and stated that in a letter dated October 12, the Salt Commissioner has objected to the land transfer order. 

These allegations were later objected by the Mumbai suburban collector in a reply which stated that the plea to be set aside.

Further, representing the central government,  Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh mentioned that the Maharashtra government had failed to understand that several lands like the Salt Pans were under the Central Government and MMRDA should have recognised the same. Responding to this, Adv. General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, who represents the State Government of Maharashtra replied that the claims made regarding the lands refer to the ones in the 1900s or further old. 

The HC has accepted ASG's request on the hearing which would now be held on December 4, 2020.