Maharashtra to launch infra projects worth Rs 73,367 cr in 2016

Sets an ambitious target of commissioning these by 2019

Infrastructure projects worth Rs 73,367 crore will be launched in Mumbai and around in calendar year 2016. Some of the key projects include Mumbai Coastal Road (Rs 13,000 crore), Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) (Rs 11,500 crore), Mumbai Metro Phase III Cuffe Parade-SEEPZ corridor (Rs 23,136 crore), 18.5-km Dahisar to DN Nagar (Rs 4,994 crore), 16.5-km Dahisar east to Andheri east (Rs 4,737 crore) and Navi Mumbai International Airport (Rs 16,000 crore).

Incidentally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has set an ambitious target of commissioning of these flagship projects during calendar year 2019 when elections to the state Assembly will be held. All these projects will be developed on cash contract basis and not on build-operate-transfer model.

The state government had a fortnight ago decided to scrap the Rs 5,000-crore Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link project, which was awarded to the consortium led by Reliance Infrastructure during the Congress rule in 2010. Instead, the government decided to pursue the 35.6-km coastal road connecting south and north Mumbai and the 22-km MTHL connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai to curb congestion. Tenders for MTHL will be issued by March, for the coastal road by June, and for Navi Mumbai airport by April. Work on the three metro corridors is expected to be awarded after June.

BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE

• The Rs 13k-crore Mumbai Coastal Road to connect south and north Mumbai and ease traffic, especially on western express
  

 

MTHL project to link Mumbai and Navi Mumbai where new airport is proposed
 

The Navi Mumbai airport’s first phase, of 10 million passengers, to be commissioned by December 2019
 

Three Metro corridors of 68.5 km to be operational by December 2019

The state government crossed a major hurdle last week after the Forest Advisory Committee gave its nod for the coastal road. The Centre also gave Coastal Regulation Zone clearance, which was required as 168.08 hectares would have to be reclaimed for the development of the coastal road.

The Centre has laid down a condition that 91 hectares of green space will have to be created and the government will ensure there won’t be real estate development along the coast. The Shiv Sena-BJP controlled BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is the nodal agency for the project.

As far as MTHL is concerned, Fadnavis said the government this month will reach a financial closure with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which has desired to provide 80% loan. The state undertaking Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is a nodal agency which will develop MTHL on the cash contract basis.

Further, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, which is a JV between the Government of India and the state government, hopes to launch after June the construction of Mumbai Metro III and Dahisar to D N Nagar and Dahisar east to Andheri east. These projects will be completed by 2019.

In case of Navi Mumbai international airport, the City and Industrial Development Corporation, which is a nodal agency, hopes to issue request for proposal (RFP) by April and award the contract by June. The first phase with annual passenger handling capacity of 10 million will be commissioned by December 2019.

CIDCO vice chairman and managing director Sanjay Bhatia said the pre-development work will start in February comprising the diversion of the Ulwe river, clearing, leveling and reclamation of marshy land, raising the level of land to 5.5 metre above sea level and relocation of power lines.