Supreme Court clears Kanjurmarg land hurdle for Mumbai Metro 6 depot

The Supreme Court has dismissed a developer’s appeal concerning disputed salt-pan land at Kanjurmarg, clearing a major legal hurdle for the proposed car depot of Mumbai Metro 6.

The Metro corridor runs between Swami Samarth Nagar, Vikhroli and Kanjurmarg.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana dismissed a plea filed by developer Maheshkumar G Garodia challenging a Bombay High Court judgment of February 13, 2026, reported The Hindustan Times.

The High Court had rejected Garodia’s claims to leasehold rights over around 250 acres of salt-pan land at Kanjurmarg.

The government had transferred 15 hectares from the larger parcel to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for construction of the Metro 6 car depot.

The Supreme Court declined to interfere with the High Court order and disposed of the pending applications.

The land dispute relates to a larger tract of salt-pan land that was originally leased for 99 years from 1917 for salt manufacturing.

The site included parcels such as Arthur Salt Works, spread over around 251 acres, and Jenkins Salt Works.

The salt department terminated the lease in 2004, while the 99-year lease period ultimately expired in October 2016.

The pending dispute had prevented MMRDA from developing the permanent Metro depot and forced the authority to make temporary arrangements for the corridor.

With the Supreme Court order, the legal challenge to the land required for the depot has been cleared.

A Metro depot is required for stabling, inspection, maintenance and repair of trains. The Kanjurmarg site is therefore an important part of the planned operational infrastructure for Metro 6.

The proposed Metro 6 corridor is one of the major east-west connections in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and will link the Swami Samarth Nagar area with Vikhroli and Kanjurmarg.

MMRDA had previously been unable to provide the corridor with its planned permanent depot because of the land dispute.

The Supreme Court decision removes that litigation-related obstacle concerning the 15-hectare parcel transferred for the depot.

The next stages of development will now involve the infrastructure and construction work required to establish the depot and associated Metro facilities at Kanjurmarg.