The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government proposes to place on rapid track a slew of infrastructure projects of more than Rs 3 lakh crore and comprehensive some of them in the subsequent 4 years. The list is lengthy, but some of the crucial projects beneath MVA’s radar contain the Mumbai coastal road (14,000 crore), extension of Bandra-Worli sea hyperlink up to Versova (Rs 50,000 crore), Metro corridors (Rs 1 lakh crore plus), Navi Mumbai international airport (Rs 16,000 crore), Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Rs 18,500 crore), commencement of water transport, redevelopment of old and dilapidated buildings, Dharavi redevelopment (Rs 27,000 crore) and BDD chawls.
The preceding Devendra Fadnavis government had repeatedly announced the commissioning deadline of December, 2019, for the coastal road, Navi Mumbai international airport phase 1 and Metro corridors 6 and 7. However, these projects are operating behind schedule. Recently, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray revised the commissioning date for the 1st phase of the Navi Mumbai airport to May, 2021, rather of December, 2020, specially immediately after the Adani Group acquired majority stakes from GVK Group in the Mumbai International Airport Limited.
The government’s selection of shifting the Metro 3 carshed project from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg is anticipated to delay the commissioning of the project. However, the CM has directed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to expedite the implementation of carshed improvement for Metro 3 and 6 at Kanjurmarg reiterating that the land belongs to the state government and opposing the Centre’s claim.
Thackeray’s son and Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray has been periodically reviewing the implementation of these infrastructure projects so that the procedural and technical concerns by MMRDA and contractors can be resolved expeditiously.
As far as Navi Mumbai International Airport is concerned, Thackeray has asked the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to interact with the project-impacted villagers and resolve their concerns so that the 1st phase can be completed and operational by May subsequent year.
The redevelopment of Dharavi is a different project that the government desires to take up on a priority basis. The government has not too long ago scrapped the tender of Dubai-primarily based Seclink Technologies Corporation-led consortium and decided to invite fresh bids.
Furthermore, the government has provided a slew of incentives for the redevelopment of old and dilapidated buildings, which has been pending for a lengthy time.