Mumbai, Aug 13 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that the Central Government has approved the manufacturing of suburban local trains designed on the lines of the Metro network. Consequently, factories currently producing modern trains like the Vande Bharat will now manufacture automatic, air‑conditioned, clean, metro‑like local trains.
Emphasising that today marks a landmark day for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s transportation network, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated infrastructure projects would act as a “mobility booster” for the city’s transit system.
The announcements were made during a virtual event which marked the e‑inauguration of two major Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) infrastructure projects, the launch of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Arjuna’ on the Thane side of the Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project, and the official naming ceremony of the flyover connecting BKC’s G‑Block to the Eastern Express Highway after former Chief Minister Barrister Babasaheb Anantrao Bhosale.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that citizens currently experience a sharp contrast between clean, modern, air‑conditioned metro rides and strenuous suburban local commutes. He said this disparity will soon end, with a total of 238 metro‑grade suburban trains to be introduced by 2027, and by March 2030, the entire suburban network will transition to metro‑style trains.
To permanently resolve traffic congestion around the Bandra‑Kurla Complex (BKC), a plan to build six connector roads was initiated in 2017–18, later expanded to eight routes. With the inauguration of the final connector link today, connectivity between Eastern and Western Mumbai receives a major boost. The new elevated route from Bharat Nagar Road (University Campus) to Vakola Junction will ensure a seamless travel experience.
To resolve potential bottlenecks near the off‑ramps, targeted measures, including underpasses on the Western Express Highway, will be implemented based on site requirements, he said. The newly inaugurated Chembur Metro Station is set to deliver critical transit integration for Mumbaikars.
Highlighting the rapid expansion of the transit network, the Chief Minister noted that 60 to 70 kilometres of new metro lines will come into operation this year alone. While suburban trains currently transport 90 lakh passengers daily, the expanding Metro network is building the capacity to serve an additional 70 lakh commuters.
“Maharashtra is setting a new national benchmark in infrastructure with the Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project, which will feature the country’s longest underground highway tunnel,” said the Chief Minister.
He further stated that the current 23 km route between Thane and Borivali will be reduced to 11 km. Travel time will drop significantly to just 12 to 15 minutes. Following the deployment of TBM ‘Nayak’ for the first tunnel, TBM ‘Arjuna’ was launched today for the second tunnel, allowing parallel construction work. Two additional TBMs will soon be deployed from the Borivali side.
Naming the flyover connecting BKC’s G‑Block to the Eastern Express Highway after freedom fighter and former Chief Minister Barrister Babasaheb Anantrao Bhosale stands as a tribute to his legacy, he noted. During his tenure, numerous welfare initiatives were launched for freedom fighters; Gadchiroli district was carved out of Chandrapur; education for girls up to Class 10 was made free; and the Aurangabad (Sambhaji Nagar) bench of the Bombay High Court was inaugurated.
The Chief Minister also commended MMRDA for its vital contribution to shaping Mumbai’s infrastructure landscape.
–IANS
sj/dan
