3 min readMumbaiApr 17, 2026 02:03 PM IST
Nearly a year after legal hurdles were cleared, work on the proposed Mogharpada metro depot in Thane has yet to begin, with fresh litigation looming as farmers prepare to approach the Supreme Court.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority had taken possession of 174.01 hectares at Mogharpada over two years ago for what is planned to be the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s largest metro depot. However, physical access to the land remains stalled due to resistance from 198 farmers who claim generational cultivation rights.
The Mogharpada facility is designed as a central depot for four upcoming “green line” corridors, Metro Lines 4, 4A, 10 and 11 linking Wadala, Kasarvadavali, Gaimukh, Mira Road and south Mumbai. It is also envisioned as the region’s first monetised depot, combining operational infrastructure with commercial, retail and potentially residential development to boost non-fare revenue.
Despite its strategic importance, progress on the ground has been negligible.
The dispute dates back to 2018, when land acquisition began, and authorities found 198 farmers cultivating large portions of the plot, primarily for paddy. Of these, 167 were recognised in 1967 as Class-2 (leasehold) cultivators, while 31 were classified as encroachers.
“While our forefathers have cultivated this land for decades, the government formally recognised us as lessees in 1967,” said Rakesh Patil, a farmer from Owala village.
Officials maintain that the land belongs to the Collector and was allotted for cultivation partly to prevent encroachment. However, the distinction between leasehold (Class-2) and freehold (Class-1) rights has become the central point of contention.
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Under the government’s transfer terms, compensation is being offered as per CIDCO policy, 22.5% developed land for recognised cultivators and12.5% for encroachers.
Farmers have rejected this, demanding compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which would provide monetary compensation based on market rates.
“As farmers, developed land is of little use to us,” Patil said. “We need compensation that allows us to buy agricultural land elsewhere and sustain our livelihoods.”
After the state transferred the land to MMRDA in October 2023, farmers under the Kharbhumi Krushi Samnvay Samiti moved the Bombay High Court in 2024.
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In June 2025, the court dismissed their petition, citing public interest and allowing the government to proceed with the integrated metro depot. Environmental clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority followed in October.
In November 2025, MMRDA proposed converting rehabilitation plots from leasehold to freehold, but the state government is yet to respond. Farmers, meanwhile, remain firm on monetary compensation and are preparing to move the Supreme Court within a month.
While the absence of the depot is not expected to delay the initial operations of Metro Lines 4 and 4A, thanks to interim pit-line maintenance facilities it is likely to restrict train frequency in the early phases.
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