MMRDA region transport projects

Mumbai and its surrounding, also called Mumbai Metropolitan

Region (MMR) is a bustling financial hub. Suburban trains that
run from Panvel, Virar, Karjat-Kasara to South Mumbai are
lifelines of the city. However, on two days (14-15 September
2015) due to derailment in western part of the citys railway line,
suburbs trains came to a standstill and lakhs of commuters were
stranded. As trains stopped on the western railway line, citizens
hit roads to reach home. This further worsened the traffic
leading to traffic jams that lasted for more than four hours.
This entire episode exposed the limitations of the transportation
infrastructure of the city and brought the question of inadequate
transport infrastructure of the city to the surface. Does that
mean that there is no improvement in the lives of the ordinary
men who travel to city in the morning and go back home in the
evening? One need not be so pessimistic about the issue. There
are many transportation projects for MMR that are the on the
drawing board and have seen slow implementation. However,
with the strong political mandate, Devendra Fadanavis led BJPShivsena government is well positioned to better the city
infrastructure. Here is a low-down on this:
One can expect a better performance from this government due
to the improvement it brought to the city in the form of 53
flyovers in its earlier sting in the early 1990s. Indians are known
as greater planners and poor implementers. This government has
inherited big plans on the drawing board from their predecessors
and now it has been implement it. Let us look at some of the
projects that have the potential to smartly do away with the citys
traffic snarls.
Projects
The state government envisaged a comprehensive railway and
roads network plan. This plan is expected to improve the traffic
of the city by leaps and bounds if implemented according to their
schedule say experts. Here is a list of crucial rail projects which
have been completed and which are part completed:
Monorail

Much celebrated monorail project has been delayed, like any

other infrastructure project in India. The first phase was opened
from Chembur to Wadala in 2014. The second phase will connect
Wadala to Curry Road Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk. While the
first phase covers the distance of 8.93 KM, the second phase
covers 11.2 KM. Once the monorail is completed, it would act as
a connecting link between western-central line and harbour line
of suburban train. Today there is no direct efficient public
transport connectivity between these areas. The second phase
was supposed to be operational by December 2015. However, the
deadline may be not be adhered to and as per revised estimates
it may be operational around May 2016. There is another
monorail project approved by the MMRDA and by the state
authorities. It plans to connect Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan belt. This
project is at the drawing board stage.
Mumbai Metro
The biggest success with public transport systems in Mumbai is
seen by Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar metro. This elevated corridor
of 11.4 KM has made daily travelling a pleasant experience for
almost 6 lakh commuters so far. It connects eastern suburbs with
western suburbs. Next metro project planned connects DahisarCharkop-Bandra-Mankhurd and has been sent to the state
government for final approval. This will connect a distance of 40
KM. The approvals should be in soon and the same should enter
tendering process soon. Colaba-Bandra-Seepz metro project too
has entered tendering process soon. There are two more metro
projects that are at early stage of planning. These two, DahisarAndheri and BKC-Mankhurd are expected to reduce the pressure
on the road transport. Estimated cost of the metro projects in
Mumbai is approximately around Rs 65000 crore.
Another project of Wadala-Ghatkopar-Teen Hath Naka (Thane)
Kasarwadavli is also planned and at various approval stage. All
these projects if implemented over next three-four years can
connect suburbs with the city and offer better connectivity
between Thane and Mumbai. Though these are high impact
public transport projects that are aimed at offering convenient
and comfortable travel to passengers, these may take long time
to implement. Hence, the government has been working on many
projects that are expected to come on line sooner.
Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)

Mumbai Urban Transport Project is one such attempt that has

immense benefits for commuters both from eastern and western
suburbs. As a part of this project, Jogeshwari Vikroli Link Road
and Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) are already
operational. Traffic on this route is not dense. However, the next
step of MUTP is more important and will offer a lot of respite to
the commuters. Though SCLR earned the reputation of the most
delayed infrastructure project in the world, it became
operational after a delay of 11 years. Benefits have been seen
immediately. MUTP has several such small and big projects that
are delayed and new government along with local authorities
should ensure that these projects are completed sooner. The first
phase of the project had focus on both road and railways. Though
most of the road projects in the first phase have been completed
but the railway projects are running behind the schedule.
Road Ahead
Dinesh Trivedi, former Railway Minister had to face a lot of flak
in the media when he announced completion of railway projects
in MUTP phase one. Some projects are still pending. For
example, line 5 & 6 between Kurla and Kalyan. These lines need
to be completed between Thane and Diva. At present goods and
country-bound trains run between Kalyan -Diva and Thane-Kurla
on line 5&6. Lines need to be erected between Diva and Thane.
The State government is seen working hard on this major gap. Its
work was stuck for two years and the new government has taken
it up on priority in CY2015 and aim to complete in first half of
CY2016. Once implemented and stabilized this should improve
the train transport on central line of railways.
Government and railway authorities are working on many other
medium term projects. These include introducing new racks on
trains. This will not only offer comfortable journey to the
commuters but also improve the safety of train travel and
facilitate improvements in the speed of suburban trains. Harbour
line of central railway is yet to see any new rack. The railways
has almost completed conversion from Direct Current (DC) to
Alternate Current (AC). This should be a precursor to
introduction of high quality new trains on suburban
infrastructure. There is an air-conditioned train planned on the
suburban lines from January 2015. More comfortable, safer and
faster ride on the suburban train should reduce pressure on the

road as more people will take the public transport leaving their
cars at home.
There are also proposals to allow transport of passengers on the
Khopoli-Panvel route. Once this goes operational in first half of
the CY2016, it will reduce a lot of pressure on the Kalyan-Thane
local trains and trans-harbour railway line. On trans-harbour
railway line, there is a proposal to start Kalyan-Vashi and Kalyan
Panvel trains. This will further make it a comfortable journey for
at least 5 lakh passengers a day.
Besides trains, the state government has focus to connect MMR
with the main city by road. Connecting places like Dombivli with
Thane through Bhiwandi is one such game changing project as
Dombivli is well connected to Kalyan-Navi Mumbai-Panvel. This
project should be operational in the first half of CY2016 and
should work as a connecting point between western suburbs and
Navi Mumbai. Four lane Kalyan Shil Road project is delayed and
there is little scope left due to large townships coming up on
Kalyan Shil Road. However, the new government has been quick
to accelerate the widening of Khopoli-Karjat-Badlapur-Dombivli
road which works as an alternative to the Mumbai-Pune
expressway in heavy traffic. This should further improve the
connectivity to proposed airport near Navi Mumbai.
Virar is another booming end of Mumbai and MMRDA has
already acknowledged the potential. Virar Alibaug Multimodal
transport corridor was an ambitious step in that direction.
However, due to paucity of funds and lack of clarity on
commercial viability, the project did not take step. The new
government however has taken a wise stand by starting with
relatively less capital intensive road network programme and has
provided for other high capital intensive transportation solutions
such as metro. Panvel-Alibaug belt can be the next growth driver
creating job opportunities where people in MMR can work and
reduce pressure on the southern and central part of the city.
Sewri-Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Sealink however, has taken a
back seat given high capital commitments.
These projects are well thought out and as discussed above are
at various stage of implementation. With the new government
and a new Chief Minister at the helm, there is a high possibility
that these projects will be executed according to the
development plan, if not earlier. Capital paucity has been the real

worrying factor along with clearances from various central

government authorities. However, with the change in sentiment
towards India, there are many foreign entities willing to fund the
infrastructure projects. Also growth first agenda of the central
government should work in favour of timely completion of these
transport infrastructure projects. It is time to be hopeful as the
State government along with other agencies is making the right
move and is functioning in a much transparent manner.