MUMBAI: The state government’s revenue and forest department has approved the “diversion” or destruction of hundreds of mangroves spread over 0.39 hectares of forest land in Thane’s Mogharpada area to facilitate the construction of an approach road and spur line for the Mogharpada Car Depot for Mumbai Metro 4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) and 4A (Kasarvadavli-Gaimukh).Forest dept approves destruction of 0.39 hectares of mangroves in Thane to build metro car depotWhile this mangrove forest land located between Mogharpada and Vasai Creek is technically “unnotified” (not protected by the government), there are several layers of protection to all mangroves in the state. On Friday, the government issued a resolution clearing a crucial statutory requirement for this land for the car depot project, which, at 174.01 hectares, is planned to be the biggest in Asia. It will be bigger than the existing Mandale car depot, which stands on 30.45 hectares in the eastern suburbs.Friday’s go-ahead from the government notwithstanding, construction work on the Mogharpada Car Depot continues to be hampered by a fresh round of litigation, as local farmers have moved the Supreme Court regarding their cultivation rights and compensation. When the authorities initiated the land acquisition process, 198 farmers were cultivating paddy in the area.Friday’s resolution was issued under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)’s proposal underwent scrutiny through multiple rounds of correspondence between the Maharashtra state forest department and the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEF&CC).According to the resolution, the regional office of the MoEF&CC in Nagpur granted both in-principle and final approvals after the prescribed conditions were met. Some of the conditions include depositing fees with the forest department apart from ensuring compensatory afforestation, which should be more than the notified area impacted. The compulsory afforestation can take place anywhere in the state.The clearance is subject to adherence to conditions stipulated by the MoEF&CC in October 2024 and February 2025. The forest authorities have directed the divisional forest officer to verify that all the conditions are met before the forest land is handed over to MMRDA. The development authority has also been instructed to give local forest officials unrestricted access for monitoring and inspection purposes.The order warns that any failure to comply with the stipulated conditions could result in the withdrawal of diversion permission and the initiation of legal proceedings under the forest conservation law. In case of any violations, the Mangrove Cell has been directed to report the matter to the central forest authorities.According to MMRDA’s plans, the Mogharpada car depot will be the first to be commercially exploited by developing a mix of retail and commercial real estate. Eventually, this car depot will also cater to Mumbai Metro 10 (Gaimukh to Shivaji Chowk in Mira Road). This depot’s layout also includes a provision for the upcoming Thane Coastal Road to pass through the plot.