Mumbai hoping for Rs 95,000 crore windfall of projects with PM Modi's visit

The iconic Rs 3600 crore Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial isnrsquot the main reason for Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos visit to the city today Itrsquos being said that hersquos primarily coming to approve and allot Rs 95000 crore worth of projects for Mumbai right from new suburban rail corridors for extending the network to more Metro lines as well as roadsmidday looks at the vitals of these projects that will shape the future of the city and the surrounding metropolitan regionTo decongest Kalanagar Junction the KalanagarBandra flyover has been plannedOn the roadMumbai TransHarbour Link MTHL This Rs 17900 crore sea bridge has been at the planned stage for nearly a decade now It will connect the ports of MbPT and JNPT and the MumbaiPune Expressway apart from its proximity to the new airport The 22kmlong bridge is expected to be ready within five years once the work beginsKalanagar JunctionBandra flyover It will be 19 kmlong and start from BandraWorli Sea Link end BWSL and go on to BKC and Kalanagar with two lanes each The R163 crore flyover will decongest Kalanagar Junction by 67 per cent besides connecting Sion and Dharavi with BWSLElevated road from LBS Marg flyover in Kurla to Vakola This would be 6 kmlong and built at a cost of R480 crore It will provide signalfree connectivity to WEH and BandraKurla Complex from EEH as well as decongest SantacruzChembur Link Road thus reducing travel time by 30 minutesOn Western Railway the BandraVirar line has undergone several changesWhatrsquos on track for railwaysThe government and Indian Railways will sign a Memorandum of Understanding for three major rail projects Out of these two have been in trouble for nearly five years now mdash the CSTPanvel and the BandraVirar elevated rail lines The third one is new in the list the VirarVasaiDivaPanvel rail corridorCSTPanvel line This is important for connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai a fast line for the 10 lakhodd commuters travelling to the satellite city The R14600 crore corridor is also likely to connect to the proposed Navi Mumbai airportBandraVirar line This one has been courting controversy and undergone changes It was to first start from Oval Maidan which then became from Andheri till Virar Finally the railways has agreed to start this R20000 crore corridor from BandraVirarVasaiDivaPanvel corridor This is a vital rail network pegged at R9000 crore that would connect all the three lines mdash Western Central and Harbour It will also give scope to the government to increase commercial spaces in this belt in a bid to reduce congestion in MumbaiMUTPIIIA continuation of MUTP1 and II it is being handled by the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation which is a joint venture between the state government and Indian Railways The World Bank is funding it partlyAiroliKalwa elevated corridor This Rs 428 crore line will connect Thane with its suburbs as well as help in connecting people to the existing transharbour rail linePanvelKarjat corridor This Rs 2618 crore suburban rail network is again important for the growth of Mumbairsquos metropolitan region It will connect Panvel and Karjat the two ends of Main and Harbour lines of Central Railway More important are the jobs generated in these extended suburbs especially with the new airport coming upQuadrupling VirarDahanu line At present there are two rail lines between Virar and Dahanu used by both suburban and longdistance trains At present nearly 80000 people use the local trains while scores travel daily towards Surat and beyond The two additional lines will allow the railways to separate the suburban and longdistance networksAC local project The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation MRVC plans to procure 47 airconditioned rakes for the city The 12coach trains will be divided into two vestibules of six coaches each The cost of each AC coach is expected to range from Rs 65 crore to Rs 10 croreldquoIf the coaches are like Metro rail the cost will be Rs 10 crore for each but if they are like the ones being tested currently they will cost Rs 65 crorerdquo said an MRVC official