The Hindu Business Line : Revamping Mumbai

WHEN he visited Mumbai in October, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Sigh, said he wanted to see the commercial capital of the country transform into a world-class city like Shanghai. A close look at the existing infrastructure of the city, especially with regard to transportation would, however, reveal the stupendous task ahead to transform this vision into reality.

Mumbai continues to be one of the most congested cities in the world, with 70 per cent of its population using the public transport system. Recent studies have shown that over 3.66 lakh cars, 55,000 taxis, 1.10 lakh auto-rickshaws, 5.27 lakh two-wheelers and 11,812 buses ply on Mumbai's roads. Taxies and private cars are estimated to contribute nearly 15 per cent of the traffic demand. Transport experts have been advocating the need to encourage mass delivery public transport system for the city.

Against this background, the measures undertaken by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) assumes significance. It has taken up the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) and Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) on a war footing.

The objective of the Rs 4,526 crore MUTP is to ease the difficulties of city commuters.

The World Bank has recently having recently approved a loan of Rs 2,602 crore for the project, which is expected to be completed by 2008. Says Dr S.V. Joshi, Metropolitan Commissioner: "By 2010, we hope to have two link roads connecting the eastern and western suburbs. The two major roads will be six-lane ones between certain stretches."

The scheme also involves development of the roads around the six congested railway stations of Dadar, Andheri, Malad, Borivali, Ghatkopar and Chembur at a cost of Rs 1,016 crore. The MUIP has earmarked Rs 2,648 crore for widening roads and footpaths, apart from providing bus corridors on major roads. As part of its initiatives to regulate traffic, the MMRDA has also focused attention on developing alternative business centres to ease the traffic at Nariman Point.

Another significant facet of MMRDA's plans is the introduction of new stainless steel trains with wide coaches by 2008. Costing Rs 1500 crore, this programme will be implemented with the proposed Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) along the Versova— Andheri — Ghatkopar corridor.

The MRTS will have 13 stations, running along a stretch of 14.3km long from Ghatkopar station to Asalfa on the highway and then to Andheri station. The maximum speed of this train will be 80 km per hour and will carry 50,000 passengers per hour.

The MRTS will provide relief to commuters from the two main East-West suburbs of Versova, Andheri and Ghatkopar, also facilitating easy accessibility to Sahar Airport, MIDC and SEEPEZ, resulting in drastic traffic reduction on East-WEST link roads. Officials say that the MRTS project will reduce the present travel time of one-and-a-half hours between Versova and Ghatkopar to just 25 minutesMuch hope has been pinned on these MMRDA initiatives to change the façade of India's financial capital.

As Dr Joshi puts it, "At MMRDA we are trying to improve Mumbai phenomenally and success with this project is assured, provided the State and Central Governments chip in equal assistance. Then, along with the cooperation of public and private organisations, NGOs and voluntary bodies, the MMRDA will definitely deliver an efficient transport system and better quality of life to Mumbai."

(The author is a Mumbai-based free-lance writer.)

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