Bhayandar: The long-delayed Kashigaon Metro Station project—a crucial part of Mumbai Metro Line 9—is finally gaining traction after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened in a land dispute that had stalled the project for over two years. The land, owned by Seven Eleven group, linked to BJP leader and MLA Narendra Mehta, had been at the centre of the controversy.

Sources present during the Metro trial run in Mira-Bhayandar on May 14 revealed that CM Fadnavis issued a stern directive to Mehta, ordering immediate handover of the disputed land to the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).

“Chief Minister Fadnavis was briefed in detail about the delay by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and senior Metro officials. He was visibly displeased with the situation and directed that the land be handed over without further delay,” a senior official who attended the meeting told Newsband on condition of anonymity.

The plot in question was originally reserved for the Metro station and the adjoining service road. However, it was under the possession of the Seven Eleven group. When MBMC attempted to acquire the land, the company demanded compensation at current market rates, which could have cost MBMC Rs 23–30 crore.

To bypass the dispute, MMRDA had modified the original Metro station plan, shifting the staircase towards a nearby nullah (drain). Yet, the company claimed that a 133-meter stretch of that nullah land also belonged to them, bringing the construction to a halt once again.

Ironically, civic officials now confirm that the disputed patch is part of a designated 45-meter-wide DP (Development Plan) road and service road, and historically includes an old drainage line already under MBMC’s purview. "There was no legal basis to stop Metro construction here. The delay was unnecessary and avoidable," said a planning officer.

The issue has previously attracted political attention. Former MLA Geeta Jain had alleged during the 2024 Assembly elections that Mehta was deliberately stalling the Metro project. Recently, Sarnaik also reportedly blamed the prolonged delay on the ownership dispute.

However, following CM Fadnavis’s strong stand, Mehta appears to have changed his tone. “Back in 2022, the CM had suggested that MBMC use credit notes or other options to acquire the land. I’ve always been committed to public interest, and I will take a positive step forward in this matter,” Mehta told Newsband.

The recent breakthrough has brought a wave of relief to the local residents. “For years, this project was in limbo. We are glad the Chief Minister has taken firm action. The Metro will dramatically reduce our daily commute,” said Rajeev Malhotra, a Kashigaon resident and local commuter rights activist.

With the land handover process now reportedly in its final stages, construction on the Kashigaon Metro Station staircase and adjoining DP road is expected to resume soon, potentially accelerating the entire Metro Line 9 development and giving the Mira-Bhayandar region the long-overdue boost in infrastructure.