PM Modi initiates projects of Rs 20,000 crore in Mumbai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday initiated projects of about Rs 20,000 crore for Mumbai and urged the people to avoid throwing plastic and other waste materials into the seawater while immersing the idols of Lord Ganesha.

Addressing a rally here, he said that new metro lines, Metro Bhavan and new facilities at metro stations will give a new dimension to Mumbai and make life easier for the residents of the city. The projects have been initiated in line with the vision of `Mumbai in Minutes'.

The Prime Minister said as India proceeds towards the goal of becoming a US dollar 5 trillion economy, the cities too should become cities of the 21st century.

He said that in line with this goal, the government is spending huge money in next five years on building modern infrastructure, which will benefit Mumbai and many other cities.

Modi highlighted the importance of future-ready infrastructure and noted that factors such as connectivity, productivity, sustainability, and safety need to be taken into account while developing cities.

He said the government is striving to build integrated transport systems.

"A vision document has been released to provide better infrastructure for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The document explains how to make the best use of various modes of transport, such as Mumbai local, bus system. A master plan for Mumbai metro has been made," he said.

Those present on the occasion included Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra will face assembly polls later this year.

The Prime Minister said the Mumbai Metro will see a significant expansion in the coming years.

"From 11 km today, the metro network of the city will increase to 325 km by 2023-24," he said, adding that the capacity of the metro will increase to cope with the number of users and the coaches will be manufactured in India.

He said that 10,000 engineers and 40,000 skilled and unskilled workers will get job opportunities due to the metro projects.

Citing examples of Navi Mumbai airport, Mumbai Trans Harbour terminal, and bullet train project, Modi said that the scale and speed with which projects were being executed was unprecedented.

Reflecting on the fast expansion of the metro system in India, the Prime Minister said it was present in a few cities but the facility was now available or was being launched in 27 cities.

"675-km metro lines are operational today out of which around 400 km became functional in the last five years. Work is in progress on 850 km, while approval has been given for work on 600-km of metro lines," he said.

The Prime Minister said that efforts are being made to develop India's infrastructure in a holistic way in order to fast-track development.

Referring to Jal Jeevan Mission, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the abolition of triple talaq and changes in the law for better protection of children, he said the government has taken "decisive, transformative and historic" steps.

Modi laid the foundation stone for three metro lines, which will together add more than 42-km to the metro network of the city.

The three corridors are 9.2 km Gaimukh to ShivajiChowk (Mira Road) Metro-10 corridor, 12.7 km Wadala to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Metro-11 corridor and 20.7 km long Kalyan to Taloja Metro-12 corridor.

He also laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Metro Bhavan. The 32-storey centre will operate and control 14 metro lines measuring around 340 km.

Modi also inaugurated Bandongri Metro Station, Kandivali East. He also inaugurated a state-of-the-art metro coach, the first metro coach under 'Make in India' initiative of the government.

He said projects worth Rs 20,000 crore rupees have been initiated in Mumbai while 1.5 lakh crore rupees have already been invested in Mumbai Metro.

Modi also said that during immersion of Lord Ganesha idols "a lot of plastic and other waste goes into the sea."

"This time we have to try that these materials which increase pollution are not immersed in water."

He also urged people of Mumbai to make the Mithi river and other water bodies plastic-free. "In the last five years, we have made sincere efforts to improve the infrastructure of 'Amchi Mumbai'," Modi said.

Modi started his one-day tour by offering prayers to Lord Ganesh at Vile Parle here.

"Ganpati Bappa Morya! Today I got the privilege of worshipping at the same place in Mumbai, where Ganpati was established a hundred years ago with the inspiration of Lokmanya Tilak," he tweeted.

( With inputs from ANI )