A wave of public opposition has erupted in Mira Bhayandar as residents from ten surrounding villages joined hands with environmental groups to protest against the proposed Metro Line 9 car shed in Dongari. The plan, which falls under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) infrastructure blueprint, is facing stiff resistance over the potential felling of more than 12,000 mature trees.
The contested land parcel, although government-owned, sits atop a sensitive hillock within the jurisdiction of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation. Local communities argue that the environmental cost of the project is too steep for an area that already serves as a crucial ecological buffer to the urban expanse of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. At the heart of the protests is Metro Line 9, a 10.54-kilometre extension connecting Dahisar East to Mira Bhayandar. The corridor includes eight elevated stations and is viewed as a key link in Mumbai’s rapidly expanding suburban rail network. While the project promises to reduce travel time and enhance connectivity, critics are demanding that the car depot component be relocated to less ecologically fragile terrain.
At a recent public meeting, hundreds of residents submitted a formal petition opposing the development. The document highlights concerns over not just large-scale deforestation, but also the technical challenges of building on uneven, elevated land. Villagers emphasise that the terrain’s topography is unsuitable for heavy civil infrastructure and argue that its natural forest cover cannot be replicated through compensatory plantation elsewhere. The protest movement has gained traction in Dongri, Tarodi, Chowk, Pali, Uttan, Gorai, Manori, Rai, Morva, and Murdha — villages that collectively represent some of the last remaining green corridors in Mumbai’s northern belt. Many locals depend on the surrounding forest landscape for livelihoods tied to agriculture, fishing, and eco-tourism. The fear is that irreversible environmental degradation will not only affect biodiversity, but also disrupt traditional lifestyles and economies.
Environmental groups supporting the protest say that Mumbai’s climate resilience depends on preserving such natural ecosystems. They point out that trees act as carbon sinks, provide vital habitat for wildlife, and help in regulating local temperatures — a crucial factor given the city’s increasing vulnerability to urban heat and flooding. Activists are now calling on the MMRDA to reconsider the project’s depot location, suggesting a shift to already degraded or non-forested land parcels. They argue that sustainable transit solutions must not come at the expense of existing environmental assets and that true progress lies in integrating ecological preservation into infrastructure planning.
While the MMRDA maintains that the car shed is essential for operational efficiency of Metro Line 9, no final clearance has been granted yet for deforestation or construction. The agency has not officially responded to the latest round of objections, though it has previously stated that all necessary environmental and forest clearances would be obtained before moving forward. The conflict has reignited larger questions about Mumbai’s development trajectory. As infrastructure growth accelerates, citizen voices are increasingly demanding a rebalancing of priorities — one that weighs climate resilience, green equity, and local livelihoods as key components in any urban planning decision.
Whether or not the Dongari car shed is eventually realigned, the protest signals a growing awareness and assertion of environmental rights in India’s cities. It also highlights a crucial reality — that in climate-sensitive regions, people are no longer silent stakeholders but active custodians of the spaces they inhabit.
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