Mumbai: Travel within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is set to undergo a sea change with as many as nine Metro rail projects, a series of suburban railway projects and more than half a dozen road and bridge projects expected to be commissioned between 2024-30.
The MMR comprises twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban and parts of Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts.
The MMR covers 6,328 sq km area under nine municipal corporations, nine municipal councils, one nagar panchayat, 44 census towns and 1,425 villages.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is executing various infrastructure projects in MMR.
The Economic Survey of Maharashtra for 2023-24 gives an overview if the transformation of Mumbai-MMR.
One of the key Metro projects awaiting completion is the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro, which is 91 per cent complete.
The other Metro line projects that would see commissioning in next couple of years are DN Nagar -Mandale, Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarwadavli, Kasarwadavli-Gaimukh, Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan, Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli, Dahisar East–Mira Bhayandar and
Andheri-Mumbai Airport, Gaimukh-Shivaji Chowk and Kalyan- Taloja. The projects are being executed by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd on a PPP model.
The projects of Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR), that are in various stages of completion are - Mumbai Central - Borivali (additional 6th line), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Kurla (additional 5th & 6th line), New Suburban Corridor between Panvel-
Karjat, New suburban corridor link between Airoli- Kalwa (elevated), Quadrupling of Virar-Dahanu Road, Trespass Control on Mid-section on CR & WR, Kalyan-Badlapur (3rd & 4th line), Borivali-Virar (5th & 6th line), Kalyan -Asangaon (4th line), Extension of Harbour Line between
Goregaon- Borivali. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is executing the projects.
As far as road projects are concerned, the Mumbai Coastal Road Project, for which the nodal agency is BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is a gamechanger project.
Some of the key projects under execution are - Sewri – Worli elevated Connector Project, Versova -Virar Sea Link Project, construction of 6 Lane Tunnel from Tikujiniwadi in Thane City to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, Traffic improvement of Chheda Nagar Junction Ghatkopar (East) on Eastern Express Highway, Constructions of Flyover at Kalanagar Junction, Bandra (East), Santacruz – Chembur Link Road (SCLR) Kurla to Vakola Phase I, Bharat Diamond Bourse to Vakola Junction Phase II (under extension of SCLR).