PM Modi to launch projects worth Rs 410 billion in Maharashtra tomorrow

In the lead up to the Lok Sabha and the state assembly elections next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday will launch infrastructure and housing projects worth around Rs 410 billion in the state.

Modi, who will be in the state, will lay the foundation stone for Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan metro 5 and Dahisar-Mira Bhayander metro-9 in Kalyan in the neighbouring Thane district.

The event will also see the launch of Navi Mumbai town planning authority City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra's (Cidco) mass housing scheme worth Rs 180 billion, which offers around 89,771 affordable homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

In an another event in Pune Tuesday, Modi will lay the foundation stone for the proposed third metro line between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar, being implemented by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) on a public-private partnership basis after the new metro policy.

The Rs 84.16-billion 24.9-km long Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan metro-5 corridor is expected to carry around 229,000 commuters daily in 2021, with the entire system designed for six-coach trains. The corridor will have 17 stations.

The 10.3-km elevated Dahisar-Mira Bhayander metro-9 corridor, comprising eight stations, is expected to be completed by 2022, and the cost of the project is estimated at Rs 66.07 billion.

Both the projects are being executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

As per the proposal, metro-9 will be integrated with metro-7 (Dahisar to Andheri) and metro-2A (Dahisar and DN Road) as well as the Rs 36-billion Gaimukh-Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road) metro-10.

"Out of the total project cost for metro-9, the cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and civil works will be provided by the state government and MMRDA, which is around Rs 4,967.75 crore, while the cost of rolling stock and systems to the extent of Rs 1,639.25 crore is proposed to be met from loan assistance of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)," an MMRDA official said.

The tendering process to appoint general consultants and contractors for civil works is in progress, and is expected to commence from March next year.

"Currently, the suburbs of Mira-Bhayander are connected to Mumbai via the suburban railways. After the metro-9 corridor is constructed, commuters will be able to take metro up to Mira-Bhayander from south Mumbai," the official said.

At present, work on several metro corridors is underway across the megapolis, including Dahisar to DN Nagar metro-2A, DN Nagar to Mankhurd metro-2B, Andheri (East) to Dahisar metro-7 and Colaba-Bandra-Seepz metro-3.

The proposed Rs 83.13-billion 23-km long third metro line between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar will connect busy information technology (IT) part with Shivajinagar, where the other two metro lines will also join.

This project is being jointly executed by Tata Realty Infra and Siemens.