MMRDA Acquires 174 Hectares in Thane for Mumbai’s Largest Metro Depot Serving Four Key MMR Corridors

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has finalized the acquisition of 174 hectares of land in Mogarpada, Thane, marking a significant step in the city’s expanding metro network. The land will be used to build Mumbai's largest integrated metro depot, which will act as a centralized operations and maintenance hub for four metro lines — Lines 4, 4A, 10, and 11 — that span a total of nearly 56 km across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

According to MMRDA, the planned Mogarpada depot will serve the corridors extending from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in South Mumbai to Mira Road in the northern suburbs. The combined 55.99-km stretch across the four lines forms a crucial part of the city’s future transport infrastructure, intended to decongest existing road traffic and provide alternate mobility options for the growing urban population.

The land for the depot was transferred to MMRDA on an ‘as-is-where-is’ basis under a Government Resolution dated October 16, 2023. The Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for all four lines were prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which recommended a unified depot model. This design is aimed at improving cost efficiency, ensuring operational integration, and streamlining long-term maintenance operations.

The Mogarpada depot will not only provide stabling for metro rakes during non-operational hours but will also function as the main maintenance and overhaul hub for all four lines. MMRDA officials have stated that the depot will include facilities for regular inspections, heavy maintenance tasks, lifting and component replacements, and complete train testing protocols.

The depot is expected to be equipped to handle the entire life-cycle maintenance of trains operating on these corridors. This includes large-scale repair bays, inspection lines, and workshops for both routine upkeep and emergency interventions. The goal is to maintain optimal availability of train sets during peak operations and to reduce system downtime.

The choice of Mogarpada in Thane for such a large facility is aligned with MMRDA’s efforts to decentralize metro infrastructure while ensuring connectivity between suburban and core urban zones. Thane’s location offers proximity to multiple metro corridors and highways, making it a strategic site for the long-term needs of metro logistics and management.

The integrated depot approach will help consolidate operations, reducing the need for separate maintenance bases for each line. This is expected to lower project duplication and operational overheads. MMRDA has not yet provided a specific completion timeline but has indicated that land acquisition was a key milestone enabling construction planning to proceed.

The development of such a major infrastructure hub is also expected to influence the local real estate market in Thane, which has seen consistent interest from developers and investors. Several developers, including Oberoi Realty, Hiranandani Group, and Raymond Realty, have established large-scale residential projects in the area.

According to local brokers, apartment prices in Grade A residential projects in Thane currently range between ₹15,000 and ₹30,000 per sq ft, depending on the location and amenities. The metro project and the associated depot are likely to strengthen long-term demand and potentially support appreciation in asset values.

Recent transactions indicate sustained developer interest in Thane. On June 13, Arkade Developers announced the acquisition of a 6.28-acre land parcel for ₹172 crore in Thane. The company plans to develop a mixed-use project with a projected gross development value (GDV) of ₹2,000 crore. The RERA saleable area is estimated at 9.26 lakh sq ft.

Another notable transaction occurred in March 2025, when cricketer KL Rahul and actor Suniel Shetty jointly acquired a seven-acre land parcel in Owale, Thane West. The purchase, valued at ₹9.85 crore, involved undivided land within a larger 30-acre property, according to registration documents accessed by Square Yards.