Mumbai, Dec 14 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the Maharashtra government to consider withdrawing an order passed by the Mumbai Suburban District Collector allotting 102 acres of saltpan land at Kanjurmarg for construction of a Metro car shed.

The Centre and the Shiv Sena-led MVA government in Maharashtra are locked in a tussle over ownership of the land earmarked by the state for constructing the car depot which was earlier planned at Aarey Colony, a green belt in suburban Goregaon.

Also Read | Anna Hazare to Launch ‘Hunger Strike’ if Central Govt Fails to Resolve Farmers’ Issues.

The Union government has filed a petition in the high court challenging the October 1, 2020, order passed by the Collector allotting the land for construction of the car shed, and said the land belongs to its (the Centre) salt department.

The Maharashtra government, however, opposed the plea and said the land, allotted to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the Metro car shed, is owned by the state.

Also Read | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Death Anniversary 2020: Powerful Quotes From ‘Iron Man of India’ That One Can Share Remembering The Great Indian Leader.

On Monday, a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was of prime facie opinion that the Collector should give a fresh hearing to all parties concerned and settle issues related to land title ownership.

We cannot allow this order (Collectors order) to remain in force. Prima facie, we are of the view that the matter should go back to the Collector. Consider withdrawing it (the order).

"It is better you (the government) settle all these issues before you proceed further, the court said.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni said he would take instructions from the state government over the suggestion following which the court posted the matter for further hearing on December 16.

The Union government, in its plea, has claimed that entire salt pan lands in the area, including the 102 acres allotted to MMRDA, belongs to its salt department.

The erstwhile BJP-led government had decided to construct the car shed, part of Mumbai Metro line 3, at Aarey Colony despite opposition from environmentalists and activists who campaigned against cutting of a large number of trees for the project.

The present Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by the Shiv Sena and supported by the NCP and the Congress, on assuming office in November last year, decided to shift the car shed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg.

The Uddhav Thackeray government has now decided to construct an integrated metro car shed at Kanjurmarg for lines 3, 4, 4A and 6, instead of building separate depots for these corridors.

MMRDA advocates Milind Sathe and Saket Mone on Monday told the court that the integrated car shed would cut down the project cost.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)