16 hours ago
Thane's Mogharpada to host Mumbai Metro's largest depot, supporting 4 metro lines
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has secured 174 hectares of land in Mogharpada, Thane, for the city's largest integrated metro car depot. The facility will serve as the central maintenance and operations hub for metro lines 4, 4A, 10 and 11, covering nearly 56 km from CSMT to Mira Road.
According to officials, the land was officially transferred to the MMRDA after a government resolution, and the depot work will start immediately. The contract of Rs 905 crore has been given to the project contractor, SEW–VSE JV. The depot will have 64 stabling lines, 20 maintenance lines, control centers, automated train wash systems and other heavy maintenance facilities.
Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, said, 'The Mogharpada metro depot stands as a cornerstone in Mumbai's journey toward a more connected and commuter-centric future. As the central hub for Metro Lines 4, 4A, 10, and 11, this facility will ensure seamless, reliable service across some of the city's most rapidly growing corridors.'
The primary purpose of the depot will be to store and maintain the trains during non-peak hours and enable daily inspections, major overhauls and testing. The depot is planned with an emphasis on continuous operations and commuter safety, particularly at peak times.
Metro Line 4 and 4A, from Wadala to Kasarvadavali and Gaimukh respectively, will carry approximately 12 lakh commuters a day and cut down on travel time by up to 50 per cent. The depot will also give service to future metro lines 10 and 11 and create much better connectivity in the entire eastern suburbs of Mumbai and Thane.
Work is in progress on all four lines, and the unified depot at Mogharpada will provide centralised management and quicker response times during technical halts.
To facilitate construction, the MMRDA adopted a farmer-first model similar to that of Cidco, where 22.5 per cent of the land acquired will be rehabilitated to leaseholder farmers and 12.5 per cent to encroachers as developed plots with roads and infrastructure. The process had two public hearings, led by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and Thane district officers. So far, 198 offer letters have been issued.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, 'MMRDA's timely acquisition of the Mogharpada land parcel is a landmark development for Mumbai's metro network. This milestone accelerates our goal of expanding sustainable, multimodal transport infrastructure that meets the aspirations of new Maharashtra.'
