 "2016 starts with a bang for Mumbai")
It may not be odd or even but Mumbai has started the New Year with a bang, in its own style. According to state government officials, at least four major infrastructure projects have been cleared and are about to take off.
Among the projects to have received what officials are calling "final clearance" is the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), a project that was conceived over two decades ago. The MTHL will be a six lane bridge - 16 kilometres in the sea and 6 kilometres on land - and is expected to cost over Rs 17,000 crore. (WAR ROOM PROJECTS)
Planners say the project will benefit over 20 million residents of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by providing a direct link between interline and mainline. It will help those commuting between South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. It will also help divert traffic from South Mumbai to the new airport at Navi Mumbai, reducing congestion at the arterial roads.
Coastal road, the second major infrastructure project, got a final nod from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. For the first time, it has been agreed that the road will be built by land reclamation and not on stilts in the sea. It has also been agreed that no residential buildings will be constructed on the reclaimed land. These two issues had been holding up the final notification for years. It is expected that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will get the tenders in two-three months for the project which is expected to cost Rs 13,000 crore.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is also a step closer to becoming reality with the ministry of civil aviation vetting the request for proposal (RFP) documents, the state support documents and the concession agreement. Only minor changes have been asked for - 16 hectares of land for defence ministry, 200 flats for employees, and so on. An option for Airport Authority of India to buy 5 per cent equity of the Navi Mumbai International Airport project within the next five years has also been inserted. After the Maharashtra Cabinet approval, all documents will be handed over to the private players who have evinced interest. Sanjay Bhatia, managing director of City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), says his organisation is fine with the conditions laid down by the aviation ministry. He expects private parties to make final bids later this year.
Final clearance has also been given for development of Bhendi Bazar. The lay outs have been finalised and construction has begun. It aims to redevelop 250 decrepit buildings spread across 16.5 acres of land in the heart of old Mumbai - 17 new towers are to come up to replace these buildings at a cost of Rs 4000 crore.
It will rehabilitate about 3,200 families and 1,250 small businesses currently housed in "dangerous conditions". This community-funded initiative is expected to create state of the art infrastructure that will be a model for future redevelopment projects.
As with all big infrastructure projects in India, there is often a slip between the cup and the lip. Scepticism prevails when officials claim victory. Kasutubh Dhavse, officer on special duty to the chief minister says meticulous follow up, attention to detail and continuous dialogue has helped obtain these clearances. The chief minister's personal involvement has galvanized all concerned.
Is that enough to push forward projects that have been in cold storage for decades? We will soon get to know.
Among the projects to have received what officials are calling "final clearance" is the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), a project that was conceived over two decades ago. The MTHL will be a six lane bridge - 16 kilometres in the sea and 6 kilometres on land - and is expected to cost over Rs 17,000 crore. (WAR ROOM PROJECTS)
Planners say the project will benefit over 20 million residents of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by providing a direct link between interline and mainline. It will help those commuting between South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. It will also help divert traffic from South Mumbai to the new airport at Navi Mumbai, reducing congestion at the arterial roads.
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It is expected that Japanese Agency for International Cooperation (JAICA), the main funding agency, will get the ball rolling. A senior government official told Business Standard he expects tenders to be issued by March-April 2016.
Coastal road, the second major infrastructure project, got a final nod from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. For the first time, it has been agreed that the road will be built by land reclamation and not on stilts in the sea. It has also been agreed that no residential buildings will be constructed on the reclaimed land. These two issues had been holding up the final notification for years. It is expected that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will get the tenders in two-three months for the project which is expected to cost Rs 13,000 crore.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is also a step closer to becoming reality with the ministry of civil aviation vetting the request for proposal (RFP) documents, the state support documents and the concession agreement. Only minor changes have been asked for - 16 hectares of land for defence ministry, 200 flats for employees, and so on. An option for Airport Authority of India to buy 5 per cent equity of the Navi Mumbai International Airport project within the next five years has also been inserted. After the Maharashtra Cabinet approval, all documents will be handed over to the private players who have evinced interest. Sanjay Bhatia, managing director of City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), says his organisation is fine with the conditions laid down by the aviation ministry. He expects private parties to make final bids later this year.
Final clearance has also been given for development of Bhendi Bazar. The lay outs have been finalised and construction has begun. It aims to redevelop 250 decrepit buildings spread across 16.5 acres of land in the heart of old Mumbai - 17 new towers are to come up to replace these buildings at a cost of Rs 4000 crore.
It will rehabilitate about 3,200 families and 1,250 small businesses currently housed in "dangerous conditions". This community-funded initiative is expected to create state of the art infrastructure that will be a model for future redevelopment projects.
As with all big infrastructure projects in India, there is often a slip between the cup and the lip. Scepticism prevails when officials claim victory. Kasutubh Dhavse, officer on special duty to the chief minister says meticulous follow up, attention to detail and continuous dialogue has helped obtain these clearances. The chief minister's personal involvement has galvanized all concerned.
Is that enough to push forward projects that have been in cold storage for decades? We will soon get to know.