MUMBAI: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will get a makeover of worth Rs76,299 crore. The authority has proposed various infrastructure projects, including new metro lines, MTHL, Multi-Modal Corridor and elevated roads. The work on these projects will be carried out more potently in the next two years. With the development authority hell-bent on keeping pace with the city and its requirements, Mumbaikars can brace for some jaw-dropping development, said MMRDA.
According to the authority, Metro Line 2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Line 7 (Dahisar East-Andheri East) would be ready by the end of 2020, and five metro lines are expected to be completed in the next two years, with Line 2B (DN Nagar-Mandale), line 4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) and Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli) following suit. Once completed, these five lines are expected to serve more than 50 lakh commuters at around 98 stations across the city. The metro network is expected to make a considerable commuter shift by 35 per cent, thus reducing the burden on the suburban rail network.
About Rs44,869 crore will be spent on various metro projects. Just to complete the projects on time a strong workforce has been deployed to work day-in and day-out. Manpower of more than 550 engineers, 8,500 skilled workers, and 9,500 unskilled labourers are constantly at work, without disrupting the city's equilibrium and peace. Subsequently, creating job opportunities in the metropolitan region. The projects also gave a boost to various industries such as steel, cement, technology, electronics and ancillary among others.
Metropolitan Commissioner RA Rajeev said the city will run faster than ever before. “We are overcoming the biggest challenge one might face, which was to do these development projects without stopping vehicular traffic even for 10 minutes. It will be an accomplishment to showcase to the entire world. Mumbaikars have shown great patience, now it is time to reap rewards,” said Rajeev.
Apart from the metro network, a sum of Rs31,430 crore will be spent on crucial road infrastructure projects including the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) and the Virar-Alibaug Multi-Modal Corridor. The six-lane bridge worth cost of Rs17,843 crore will connect Sewri with Nhava Sheva. The ambitious project will address the traffic congestion in the island city by improving connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The sea-bridge will also connect Sewri to Worli and also further connect the Coastal Road as well as the Western Express Highway via Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
The 22-km MTHL will provide direct access to Navi Mumbai International Airport and will also prove to be a convenient gateway to Pune Expressway. The project's 40 per cent work will be completed in 2020, while 15 per cent of the project's work is over.
The 126-km multi-modal corridor is also divided into two phases -- 79-km-long Virar to Balavali (Rs 9,326 crore) and 47-km-long Balavali to Alibaug (Rs3,649 crore). It will be an eight-lane stretch with separate lanes for the metro and bus rapid transit system. As many as 20 flyovers, 15 interchanges, and 45 underpasses will be developed in the road marvel costing around Rs12,975 crore. While most of the land acquisition has been undertaken, the remaining will be taken care of in 2020 and the work of the first 23-km phase (dedicated to heavy vehicles) from Navghar to Anjur will begin soon.
Besides, there are several other proposed bridges and connectors. Two flyovers (estimated to cost around Rs163 crore) and a road coming up to clear the BKC Junction. The total length of the two flyovers -- first from BKC to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and second, the Bandra-Worli Sea Link to BKC is of 1,888 metres. Also planned is a 300-metre-long and 12-foot-wide road running through the government land to streamline traffic from Dharavi to Sea Link. So far, 51 per cent work is over and will be thrown open to traffic in 2020.
The MMRDA is also working to decongest BKC and Sion-Chembur Link Road junctions by constructing two roads at an estimated cost of Rs499 crore. The 1.3-km-long elevated road from MTNL junction to LBS flyover will clear the BKC, and another 3.89-km elevated road from Kurla (Kapadia Nagar) to Vakola near Western Express Highway will decongest the SCLR junction.
Three elevated roads will be completed next year. The left lanes of both Mankoli and Rajnoli bridges on the Mumbai-Nashik national highway will clear congestion. The third will be the Rajiv Gandhi flyover on Kalyan-Bhiwandi road which will bring relief to commuters.
