The Hindu Business Line : We have plans to make Mumbai a world-class city, says PM

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, with the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Sushilkumar Shinde, at a function organised by the Congress party in Mumbai on Wednesday. - Paul Noronha

Mumbai , Oct. 6

THE Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said on Wednesday, that his Government has plans to transform Mumbai into a world-class city.

"In the next five years, we want to make Mumbai the number one city people talk about when it comes to development and modernisation," he said.

Dr Singh's visit to the metropolis on the eve of the Maharashtra Assembly elections was the first since he assumed office as Prime Minister. Addressing the media during his first visit to the metropolis after he took over as Prime Minister, Dr Singh said it was his dream to see Mumbai transformed into a city like Shanghai. And the Centre, he said, would render all help to the State Government to make this dream a reality. He said the Centre would focus on improving communication and urban transportation, particularly the metro-rail project.

He guaranteed additional assistance for providing adequate social and civic services such as drinking water.

Later in the day, when the Prime Minister spoke to a gathering of industrialists and corporate heads, he said that he would "take a personal interest in seeing that Mumbai's infrastructure, transportation, communications is developed."

Dr Singh said the commercial capital of India was no ordinary city. "It is a living example of the spirit of our people and we have an obligation to work together in developing it."

He said Maharashtra played a vital role in bringing the Congress to power at the Centre and appealed to the electorate to repeat the mandate it gave during the Lok Sabha elections. "Bring the Congress back to power and leave the rest to me," he said while emphasising his Government's commitment towards ensuring economic development in Maharahstra.

"We need a Government in Maharashtra that would be on the same wave length as the Central Government. The task of doing business with the State would then be easier," he added.

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