By IANS,
Mumbai: With some of the most prestigious infrastructure projects slated for completion, the face of India’s commercial capital Mumbai will change in 2013, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said here Saturday.
Chavan has directed officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to ensure that a maximum number of the mega-infrastructure projects, currently under progress, are completed by December 2013 and “publicise them properly.”
Chavan’s instructions assume significant since the Lok Sabha elections are due in the first half of 2014 and the Maharashtra assembly polls in the second half.
The major projects currently underway, include the state’s first Metro Railway, the first phase of which is nearing completion, the monorail, Eastern Freeway Project, Sahar Elevated Access Road at Mumbai Airport, Milan flyover, the scheme for rental homes, and other projects in the MMRDA areas.
“The 146 km long Mumbai Metro Railway is of prime importance. Of this, 11.40 km long route in the first phase between Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar with 12 stations en route is nearing completion. It will be available for the benefit of Mumbaikars very soon,” Chavan told reporters, after a meeting of top officials and MMRDA here.
He said this year, the MMRDA will spend Rs.5,600 crore on these mega-projects which would prove to be a major boon for the citizens.
“This would include Rs.2,356 crore towards the Mumbai Metro-Railway (the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route) and Rs.1,500 crore for the 8.80 km long monorail between Chembur-Wadala,” he said.
“Another, Rs.1,265 crore would be spent on the 16.80 km long Eastern Freeway Project, Rs.343 crore for the 2 km long Sahar Elevated Access Road, Rs.84 crore for the 700 metres long Milan Flyover, besides other projects,” Chavan added.
Another major infrastructure project is the upcoming Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) which is expected to be completed by 2014-end.
However, two critical sections on it, the LBS Flyover and the Amar Mahal Flyover are slated for completion in the current year itself.
Part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project, the SCLR will be another vital link providing a connection to the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai.
Chavan assured that all these projects would boost traffic movement not only within and around Mumbai, but also on the busy Mumbai-Pune, Mumbai-Nashik sectors and roads leading to south India.
Besides the mega-projects, another 20.6 km long new roads would be added to Mumbai’s existing road network and help ease traffic congestion across different sectors.