Mumbais Connectivity Set to Get a Major Boost: Maharashtra CM
Mumbai, August 14: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Thursday that the central government has approved the construction of suburban local trains designed similarly to the metro network. As a result, factories currently producing modern trains like Vande Bharat will now manufacture automatic, air-conditioned, clean, metro-style local trains.
The Chief Minister emphasized that this day marks a historic milestone for the transportation network in the Mumbai metropolitan area. He expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated infrastructure projects will serve as a ‘mobility booster’ for the city’s transport system.
These announcements were made during a virtual event that included the e-inauguration of two major infrastructure projects by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The event featured the launch of the ‘Arjun’ tunnel boring machine for the Thane section of the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project and the official naming ceremony of the flyover connecting BKC’s G-Block to the Eastern Expressway after former Chief Minister Barrister Babasaheb Anantrao Bhosale.
Devendra Fadnavis stated that citizens currently experience a significant difference between clean, modern, air-conditioned metro rides and the exhausting suburban local trains. He assured that this gap will soon close, as a total of 238 metro-grade suburban trains are set to launch by 2027, with the entire suburban network transitioning to metro-style trains by March 2030.
To permanently address the traffic congestion issue around the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a plan was initiated in 2017-18 for the construction of six connecting roads, which was later expanded to eight routes. With the inauguration of the final connecting link today, connectivity between eastern and western Mumbai has received a significant boost. The new elevated route from India Nagar Road (university campus) to Vakola Junction will ensure smoother travel.
To alleviate potential traffic jams near the off-ramp, targeted measures will be implemented based on site requirements, including an underpass on the Western Express Highway. The newly inaugurated Chembur metro station is poised to provide crucial transport integration for Mumbaikars.
Highlighting the rapid expansion of the network, the Chief Minister noted that this year alone, 60 to 70 kilometers of new metro lines will become operational. Currently, suburban trains transport 9 million passengers daily, while the expanded metro network is set to accommodate an additional 7 million passengers.
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