Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Mar 4: Citing the need for seamless connectivity between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Maharashtra government on February 24 sanctioned the Metro 8 corridor connecting the two airports.
The project will include a car shed near the interstate bus terminal. However, the proposal has triggered strong opposition from environmentalists as the identified site for the depot spans 27.2 hectares of reserved forest land, including mangroves, at Mandale.
A government resolution issued by the urban development department approved the transfer of the land. Officials from City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) said the proposed plot is adjacent to the Metro 2B Mandale car depot.
The decision has revived memories of earlier controversies surrounding metro car sheds in Mumbai. The Metro 3 car shed at Aarey Forest had sparked widespread protests, while plans for a depot at Bhayandar were eventually shelved due to the potential felling of hundreds of trees.
When asked about the choice of Mandale, CIDCO sources said land near the airport was earmarked for commercial development, making Mandale a more feasible option. CIDCO Managing Director Vijay Singhal said the proposal had received cabinet approval and assured that necessary clearances from relevant authorities would be obtained before work begins.
The Navi Mumbai airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year, became operational on December 25, 2025. However, inadequate direct connectivity between the two airports prompted the approval of Metro 8. The Comprehensive Transport Study (2021) had also underscored the need for a metro link via Thane Creek, given rapid urban growth and rising passenger traffic between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Environmental activists have sharply criticised the move. D Stalin of Vanashakti pointed out that Mandale is an area where the forest department undertakes mangrove plantation and compensatory afforestation.
“Why can’t the metro depot be relocated on slum land, where residents could be rehabilitated and government land put to better use?” he questioned.
Environmentalist Nandkumar Pawar said further destruction of mangroves would have severe ecological consequences. “We have already suffered damage due to the removal of mangroves. Under no circumstances should mangroves or trees be chopped. The oxygen they provide is priceless,” he said.
Stalin warned that forest and mangrove lands were being systematically eroded for infrastructure projects. “Earlier it was Malad creek for the coastal road and sewage treatment plant, Thane creek for the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, and now Mandale for the metro. If this trend continues, Mumbai could lose all its mangrove forests in the next five years,” he alleged.