Infrastructure Boom at Maharashtra

The state of Maharashtra is not merely an expression of geography but a manifestation of the collective efforts of its people. Different customs and traditions coexist peacefully in the state.

With 720 km of coastline along the Arabian Sea, Maharashtra occupies the western & central part of India. It is also fortified naturally by the Sahyadri and Satpuda mountain ranges. A well-developed infrastructure, abundant natural resources, connectivity to all major areas, a skilled workforce, and quality education make Maharashtra an ideal location for new industries. The state of Maharashtra is not merely an expression of geography but a manifestation of the collective efforts of its people. Different customs and traditions coexist peacefully in the state. Construction projects stimulate economic activity throughout Maharashtra, and the state government has pushed for the development of world-class infrastructure.

Explicitly defining Mumbai’s new lifeline: Mumbai Metro

Traditionally, Mumbai has been served by its ubiquitous Suburban rail system or local trains, as we fondly call them. 2.64 billion passengers ride local trains each year. The first rail track in India – CST to Thane – was part of this network and has only grown since then.

The ongoing Mumbai Metro will complement the overcrowded railway network by reducing traffic in the city. It will span 350 kilometres and include 14 metro lines. Over 1.4 lakh crores are estimated to be spent on the Mumbai Metro project. It connects every corner of the city and is a comprehensive project. Although, Ghatkopar-Versova line 1 has been operational since 2014.

Development of Mumbai –Nagpur Expressway

To create connectivity to the last mile with the best public transport facilities with a project cost of Rs 46,000 crore, Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg is being developed. In addition to connecting Nagpur to Mumbai and allowing direct access to the country’s largest container port – JNPT, the expressway will pass through ten districts of Maharashtra. By connecting Shivmadka village in Nagpur district to Amane village in Thane district, the expressway provides enhanced connectivity to Marathwada and Vidarbha regions. According to the Government of Maharashtra, the expressway will help boost the overall socio-economic growth of the state by covering the cost of land acquisition of about Rs 55,000 crore (US$6.9 billion).

Navi Mumbai International Airport
At Ulwe Kopar-Panvel in the state, CIDCO is developing a 1,160-hectare greenfield aerotropolis for Navi Mumbai International Airport. Twenty million passengers per year (mppa) will be able to use the first phase of the airport. The project is expected to become operational by 2023 with a final capacity of 90 mppa. Airport facilities will include cargo terminal buildings, two parallel runways, taxiways, apron areas, cargo complexes, and aircraft maintenance facilities.

The ₹16,700 crores (US$2.1 billion) project is being executed by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), an entity formed by Adani Airports Holdings Limited and CIDCO, which will hold 74 percent and 26 percent equity shares of NMIAL respectively. As part of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, CIDCO will design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) the project. The airport has a total area of 1,160 hectares (4.5 square miles). There will be a terminal area of 250,000 m2 (2,700,000 sq ft) and a cargo area of 100,000 m2 (1,100,000 sq ft) at the airport, handling 50–55 million passengers annually.

Mumbai Trans Harbour Link: Facilitating Decongestion

MMRDA is constructing Navi Mumbai’s portion of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), India’s longest sea bridge. As part of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project, the Sewri Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link will operate between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai for 21.8 kilometres (13.5 miles). It will help decongest Mumbai and reduce the commute time from Churchgate to Navi Mumbai from 40 minutes to 20 minutes by connecting to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in the east and the Western Freeway in the west. In addition to the cable-stayed bridge, the sea bridge would be 16.5 km, and the approach viaducts would be 5.5 km in length. The link would
support a six-lane (3×3) carriageway.

High-Speed Rail Corridor Mumbai-Ahemdabad

Mumbai Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is another infra project undertaken by NHSRCL with a cost of around Rs 108,000 crore. An estimated cost of Rs 1.1 lakh crore is being incurred on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, a 508.17-km high-speed rail line connecting Mumbai with Ahmedabad through 12 stations. Except in Mumbai, where the line will be built underground using three mega tunnel boring machines (TBM), trains will run on an elevated viaduct 10-15 m above ground. Among the twelve stations proposed along the route are Bandra Kurla Complex, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, Anand, Sabarmati and Ahmedabad. Therefore, as an important contributor to India’s GDP, Maharashtra has always been the finance capital. With the metro development, world-class roads, the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport, and much more, Mumbai and Maharashtra are experiencing an infrastructure boom. All these projects will further enhance their economic growth.

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