The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) told the Bombay High Court on Friday that the decision to construct a Metro car shed at Kanjurmarg had been taken after due deliberations and detailed studies conducted by experts.
Appearing for the MMRDA, senior advocate Darius Khambata told a bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni that the Kanjurmarg plot was better suited than the earlier plot in the Aarey area of the city.
The Union government had no reason to object to where the state chose to construct the car shed, Khambata said.
"An expert committee conducted a detailed study and due deliberations were done to finalise the new plot. The Kanjurmarg plot is better suited for the car shed and related activities," he said.
The plot in Aarey was smaller, meant just for the car shed for one Metro line, while the one in Kanjurmarg can accommodate car sheds for three to four Metro lines, he said.
"Besides, why should the Union of India be concerned with where we are making the car shed?" he said.
Khambata was responding to a plea filed last year by the Union government challenging the October 1, 2020 order passed by the Mumbai suburban district collector allotting the Kanjurmarg land for construction of the car shed.
The Union government said the land belonged to its salt department.
Following the plea, in December 2020, the High Court had stayed the collector's order, after which the MMRDA moved the court in March, seeking that the stay on the Kanjurmarg Metro car shed work be vacated.
The High Court is hearing the final arguments on the pleas filed by the Union government, the MMRDA, and an intervention application filed by activist Zoey Bhatena, in support of the state's decision to construct the car shed at Kanjurmarg.
The High Court will continue hearing the arguments on April 7.