The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is reconsidering its plan to build a metro car depot at Uttan for Metro Line 9, following strong resistance from local residents and environmental groups over large-scale tree cutting. Nearly 12,000 trees were expected to be felled to make way for the 59.7-hectare facility, which was to house 40 stabling lines for train maintenance and parking.
The proposal, intended to serve Metro Lines 9 and 7A, has been under review after sustained protests across Mira-Bhayandar. A senior MMRDA official confirmed that alternative options were being explored, suggesting that existing depots at Charkop and Mandale could potentially support operations for Line 9 — which connects Dahisar East to Mira-Bhayandar. The Charkop depot currently services Metro Lines 2A and 7, accommodating 24 trains across 18 lines, while the Mandale depot — which will link Mankhurd and Dahisar via Lines 2A and 2B — can handle up to 72 trains. Officials noted that these facilities could be optimised to reduce the need for fresh land acquisition, mitigating both environmental and social impact.
The Uttan site had become a flashpoint for civic mobilisation in recent months. Thousands of residents, activists, and environmental advocates formed human chains and staged demonstrations demanding that the project be scrapped. The opposition centred on the ecological cost of tree loss, which protesters argued would severely impact local biodiversity and green cover in the rapidly urbanising coastal belt of Mira-Bhayandar. Activists also challenged the credibility of MMRDA’s tree survey, claiming it significantly underestimated the age and maturity of vegetation on the site. Satellite imagery from 2013 reportedly revealed older, well-established tree clusters that the official report classified as only a few years old. Environmental groups alleged this misclassification could have reduced compensatory afforestation and municipal fees owed to the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation.
The proposed depot site spread across Morva, Raimurdhe, and Murdhe villages, where over 500 families faced potential displacement. While officials maintained that the land belonged to the government and would not require acquisition, the plan met strong social resistance due to its proximity to residential and no-development zones. Metro Line 9, extending the Dahisar–Andheri corridor towards Mira-Bhayandar, began construction in 2019 after its foundation stone was laid in 2018. The first phase, a 4.5 km elevated stretch between Dahisar East and Kashigaon, has now completed all major civil and signalling works. Trial runs are underway, and the line is expected to open to passengers by December.
The reassessment of the Uttan depot signals a broader shift in Mumbai’s urban transport planning — balancing rapid infrastructure growth with ecological preservation and community consent.
MMRDA May Scrap Uttan Metro Line 9 Depot After Tree Protest
