Mumbai Metropolitan Region gets Rs 3,000 cr

Mumbai: To be spent on improving road network and other core projects.

Shifting its focus from Mumbai to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to invest in infrastructure projects of satellite cities and towns like Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, and Mira-Bhynder.

The MMRDA board on Monday approved around Rs 3,000 crore to improve the road network and other infrastructure facilities in the region.

The decision was taken at an MMRDA board meeting chaired by chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and attended by local MPs, MLAs, mayors and chairpersons of municipal councils of towns and cities from MMR.

Addressing mediapersons, Deshmukh said the MMRDA had decided to implement the Extended Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (EMUIP) and allocate Rs 1,500 crore to improve the road network in MMR. The region covers neighbouring districts like Thane and Raigad.

Under this, Rs 449 crore would be spent on widening and construction of flyovers on four important roads in the Mira-Bhynder Municipal Corporation, which is located on the western suburban line of local rail network. Further north in the jurisdiction of Vasai and Virar municipal councils, the authority would spend Rs 380 crore.

In cities like Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali and smaller towns like Badlapur, and Ambernath, which are located on the central line of the suburban rail network, the MMRDA would spend Rs 556 crore to improve the road network.

The roads between Dombivali and Bhiwandi and Dombivali and Mumbra would be widened. Four flyovers would be constructed on Ghoadbunder road in the Thane Municipal Corporation area.

The authority has also earmarked Rs 12 crore for improving roads in Badlapur and Ambernath areas. Besides, Rs 60 crore would be spent on flyovers in Panvel, which is the last station on the harbour line of the suburban railway network.

The MMRDA board also approved a loan of Rs 1,500 crore for these municipal bodies to complete various infrastructure projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM).

The municipal bodies have undertaken projects worth Rs 3,000 crore. While the Centre will give grants up to 35 per cent of the project cost, the state will provide 15 per cent. The remaining would be raise by the municipal bodies.