MUMBAI, July 27 -- The proposed mega long-distance rail terminus in Kandivali has hit a major roadblock after the Union ministry of defence rejected the Railways' request for a 65-acre defence land parcel for the project. The Defence ministry has told Hindustan Times that the land is occupied by the Central Ordnance Depot (COD) and Equipment Support Depot (ESD), Kandivali, and cannot be transferred, while no alternate defence land is available in the area. The Defence ministry made the communication to the Railway ministry in mid-2025 in response to an application submitted by the Railways through the government's NOC portal, according to the Defence ministry's response to HT. HT had reported on July 17 that Western Railway was seeking defence land in Kandivali for a mega rail terminus. The proposed site, located between Kandivali and Malad stations, is spread across roughly 65 acres. It is flanked by the Kandivali railway car shed on one side and Poisar Metro station on the other, making it one of the few large contiguous plots available along the Western Railway corridor. The proposed terminal was to handle 48 to 50 pairs of long-distance trains, almost matching the capacity of CSMT. The project was planned to ease the load on Mumbai Central, Bandra Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and CSMT, while benefiting passengers from the western suburbs and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. According to the blueprint prepared by WR, the terminal was to have nine platforms, each around 625 metres long and capable of accommodating 24-coach trains. The plan also included six pit lines for maintenance, nine stabling lines for parking rakes, two dedicated shunting necks and integrated maintenance sheds for next-generation trains, including Vande Bharat services. Officials estimated that the facility could have served between 1 lakh and 1.5 lakh passengers daily. The project was part of the Railways' broader plan to expand long-distance train capacity in Mumbai. With the Defence ministry refusing to transfer the land, the Railways will now have to search for an alternative site or reconsider its long-term plan to expand Mumbai's long-distance rail network....