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The first phase of Mumbai Metro Rail and monorail projects will be operational this year itself, said Mr Ratnakar Gaikwad, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, on Friday.
He was speaking at an infrastructure conference, supported by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU).
Metro link
In the first phase, the metro rail will link Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar with an 11.07 km elevated corridor. It will enable connectivity between the far-flung eastern and western suburbs. The monorail will connect the eastern suburb of Chembur with Wadala in central Mumbai with an 8.26 km elevated corridor.
The Eastern Freeway, which will provide a direct link between the eastern express highway and south Mumbai through the less congested roads of the Mumbai port will also be completed by end of the year, Mr Gaikwad said.
Land development
Mr Gaikwad said that developing land in Mumbai was a huge challenge, which can be addressed only if all stakeholders come together and act collectively, “We need to look at the development models undertaken by Shanghai and Hong Kong,” he said.
He also said the State government was looking at creating a coastal road connecting Worli to Haji Ali. “The recently notified CRZ rules have a provision for a coastal road,” he said.
Concept plan
A 40-year concept plan for all-round development of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) was unveiled by MTSU on the occasion. The plan has been prepared by Surbana consultants of Singapore.
The concept plan has recommended that the overall urbanisation of MMR should not be more than 40 per cent of the total land area, so that the region will attain an average population density of 23,000 persons a sq km in the long run. The plan has also mentioned that natural forests, wetlands, and water bodies in the MMR should be protected and some of them be used for public recreation purposes.
The plan points out that there is a need to recognise the social and economic significance of South Mumbai's central business district and create rooms for its rejuvenation, future growth and expansion so that it will become an international face of MMR and Mumbai.
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