-Mumbai Trans Harbour Link to be ready by 2022: Japanese diplomat

The ambitious Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) work on which started in April, will be completed by 2022, said Japanese Consul-General in Mumbai Ryoji Noda on Wednesday.

For the 22-km six-lane bridge along the Mumbai harbour to the mainland providing direct access to the upcoming new international airport and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Japan is a partner with a commitment of Rs 9,000 crore or nearly 80 percent of the estimated project cost of Rs 14,260 crore, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Besides the MTHL, Japan has committed Rs 4,500 crore for the 33.5-km-long Mumbai-Metro 3 project running from Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ, for which 5.1 kms of underground tunneling work has just been completed, as per an announcement by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation. The line, with 27 stations en route, is expected to be completed by December 2021.

Referring to the Bullet Train project being constructed with Japanese assistance, Noda said the "high speed rail project between Mumbai-Ahmedabad is important for us (Japan)".

Speaking at a convention organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here, he said the project would ensure trust and safety of the users, responsible and timely disbursement in construction and safety net around the same.

Estimated to cost Rs 1.1 lakh crore ($16 billion), the work on the Bullet Train project has already been initiated in Maharashtra and Gujarat, creating a huge controversy with strong resistance from various quarters including the villagers, tribals and opposition parties.

The Japanese diplomat also said India has already received Rs 22,000 crore assistance under Japan's Overseas Development Assistance, making it the largest beneficiary, with Mumbai as one of the focus areas, adding that his country would support Indian in various fields including investments, technology transfer and handling air, water, sea pollution besides managing urban waste.

"There are estimates that Mumbai is expected to be the highest populated city in the world in the highly populated country in 2032," Noda said.

He pointed out that if Mumbai creates 7,000 tonnes of urban waste daily, it amounts to 210,000 tonnes every month and Japan, which recycles 85 percent of its pet bottles, can help India to better handle the urban waste.

Other prominent speakers at the conclave included industrialist and Godrej Group Chairman Jamshyd Godrej and JICA India Chief Representative Katsuo Matsumoto.

--IANS

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