Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that the Mumbai Coastal Road will be opened for vehicular traffic for 24 hours from August 15.

He said the dream of ‘Mumbai within 59 minutes’ will be fulfilled soon. The metro network is expanding rapidly, and at least 50 kilometres of metro lines are being completed every year. Also, the road network is being built well, and two important link bridges have been inaugurated to relieve Mumbaikars from traffic congestion. This will save time in travelling between the eastern and western suburbs.

He was speaking on the occasion of the launch of a slew of development projects being carried out by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

On this occasion, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee were present.

Saying that the coastal road in Mumbai will be open for 24 hours from August 15, CM Fadnavis said that drivers should follow the traffic rules on the coastal road as it is under CCTV surveillance.

“This road will be revolutionary from the point of view of traffic. It includes a walking track and a cycle track that are attractive for pedestrians,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that parallel routes are being built to reduce traffic congestion on the Western Express Highway.

“Tunnels, link bridges and flyovers connecting various parts of Mumbai will be useful for easing traffic. The aim is to complete the ongoing development projects in Mumbai by 2028-29. While developing Mumbai, we insist that it should be environment-friendly. Sustainable development cannot be achieved by ignoring the environment. Therefore, the environment is being considered first while implementing development projects. Better and more modern technology than foreign technologies is being used for newly constructed projects,” he added.

According to CM Fadnavis, soon, the air-conditioned coaches with automatic doors like the metro will be available in suburban railways as well.

He asserted that Metro projects are not only for improving traffic, but are also an effective way to generate employment. Providing good accommodation and facilities to employees increases their efficiency.

He also expressed confidence that the pace of Mumbai’s progress will be further increased without compromising on development.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said that the ongoing projects in the city are bringing positive changes in the lifestyle of the citizens. The metro network has expanded to more than 450 km, which will make travel between the eastern and western suburbs easier. Traffic congestion will be reduced, fuel will be saved, and time will be saved. Metro and other projects are being implemented at a rapid pace to improve the quality of the public transport system. He also said that some projects have been completed ahead of schedule.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawar said that the pace of Mumbai’s progress is essential for the development of the country. Since Mumbai is the financial capital, development works are being carried out for its all-round development. The government is committed to public safety and quality infrastructure.

On this occasion, the Rs 70 crore Metro Training Institute set up by the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority at Mandal was inaugurated. This training institute will provide skilled manpower for the Metro and will save the cost of training. Revenue will be generated by training manpower for metro projects in other states.

The Chembur-Santacruz Link Cable Stayed Bridge, Road Part 1, is the largest curved cable-stayed bridge with a radius of 100 meters in Asia. Also, the Rs 90 crore employee accommodation building at Malvani has two buildings with a total of 156 flats.

The Arm D flyover at Kalanagar Junction and the 5.25 km long Vihar Kshetra and pedestrian underpass on Dharmaveer, Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Kinara Road were inaugurated.

–IANS

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