Proposed mega projects in Maharashtra across the spectrum spell over 1,500 opportunities worth more than Rs 30 trillion.

Construction projects in the state stimulate activity in the entire economy and the Maharashtra government has been on a mission to develop world-class infrastructure.

Let’s look at some major infrastructure projects being executed in the state.

Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link

Estimated project cost: Rs 18,000 crore
Implementing agency: MMRDA
The Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as the Sewri Nhava Sheva Trans-Harbour Link, is a 21.8-km, freeway-grade road bridge under construction connecting Mumbai with Navi Mumbai. The project will be linked to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in the East and the proposed Western Freeway in the West. It will help decongest Mumbai and reduce the commute from Churchgate to Navi Mumbai from 40 minutes to 20 minutes. The project is expected to be completed by 2023. After completion, MTHL will be the longest bridge/sea link in India. The investment multiplier impact of the project is expected to be around Rs 54,000 crore.

Navi Mumbai International Airport

Project cost: Rs 16,000 crore
Implementing agency: CIDCO
The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is a 1,160-hectare greenfield aerotropolis under construction in Ulwe Kopar-Panvel. The first phase of the airport will be able to handle 20 million passengers per annum. It will be expanded to its final capacity to handle more than 90 million passengers per annum. The project is expected to become operational by 2023. Facilities at the airport will include cargo terminal buildings, two parallel runways for independent operations, taxiways, an apron area, cargo complex, aircraft maintenance site and long-term aircraft parking, as well as additional infrastructural facilities such as car parking, a power supply system and water treatment plant.

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor

Project cost: Rs 634,858 crore
Implementing agency: DMIC Development Corporation (DMICDC)
This project is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in India, planned between Delhi and Mumbai. It is being developed at an estimated investment of $ 90 billion and is planned as a high-tech industrial zone spread across six Indian states, as well as Delhi. It includes 24 industrial regions, eight smart cities, two international airports, five power projects, two mass rapid transit systems, and two logistic hubs.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail

Project cost: Rs 108,000 crore
Implementing agency: NHSRCL
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is a 508.17-km, high-speed rail line under construction connecting Mumbai with Ahmedabad through 12 stations at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 lakh crore. Trains on the line will operate at a speed of 320 kmph on an elevated viaduct 10-15 m above the ground except in Mumbai, where the line will be built underground using three mega tunnel boring machines (TBM). Between Mumbai and Thane stations, the line will run under the sea at Thane Creek for roughly 2 km. The proposed stations along the route include Bandra-Kurla Complex, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, Anand, Sabarmati and Ahmedabad. When completed, it will be India's first high-speed rail line.

Samruddhi Mahamarg

Project cost: Rs 55,000 crore
Implementing agency: MSRDC
The Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg is being developed to create last-mile connectivity with the best public transport facilities for quick and easy movement of people and goods. The 701-km expressway will enable a large population to have easy access to major centres in Maharashtra; it will pass through 10 districts and help improve their economies. It will connect Nagpur to Mumbai with direct connectivity to the country’s largest container port, JNPT.

Mumbai Coastal Road Project

Project cost: Rs 24,215 crore
The 29.2-km Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) is an access-controlled expressway under construction. The project will shorten travel time between North Mumbai and South Mumbai and the investment multiplier impact of the project is expected to be Rs 72,645 crore. The project’s Phase 1 (southern section) is under construction between Marine Drive and Bandra-Worli Sea Link by BMC/MCGM. Phase 2 involves the construction of a 19.22-km northern extension between Bandra, Versova and Kandivali comprising a 9.6-km Bandra-Versova Sea Link with connectors to Bandra (1.17 km), Carter Road (1.80 km) and Juhu Koliwada (2.80 km).

Mumbai Metro

Project cost: Rs 86,000 crore

Implementing agency: MMRDA (all lines except Lines 1 and 3), Mumbai Metro One (Line 1), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (Line 3)

The Mumbai Metro is a rapid transit system being built in three phases over a period of 15 years; overall completion is expected in 2026. It is being developed to reduce the traffic congestion in the city and supplement the overcrowded Mumbai suburban railway network. The project’s core system consists of 14 high-capacity metro railway lines, spanning a total of 356.972 km and 226 stations.

A. Operational line

Line 1 connects Versova, Andheri and Ghatkopar through 12 stations and spans 11.4 km.

B. Lines under construction

The Yellow Line (Lines 2A and 2B) is a 42.20-km elevated metro line under construction. It will connect Dahisar East with Mandale through 39 stations. The estimated cost of Lines 2A and 2B is Rs. 6,410 crore and Rs. 10,986 crore, respectively.

Line 3 (Aqua Line) is a 33.5 km metro line under construction. It was approved for construction by the Central Government on June 28, 2013, at an estimated cost of Rs 23,136 crore. It will connect Cuffe Parade, Bandra-Kurla Complex and Aarey Colony.

The Green Line (Lines 4, 4A, 10, 11) is a 57.18-km elevated and underground metro line under construction connecting Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road), Gaimukh, Kasarawadavali, Wadala and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) through 48 stations. Estimated costs of Lines 4, 4A, 10 and 11 are Rs 14,549 crore, Rs 949 crore, Rs 4,476 crore and Rs 8,739 crore, respectively.

The Orange Line (Lines 5 & 12) is a 45.65-km elevated metro line under construction connecting Kapurbawdi (Thane), Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Dombivali and Taloja through 34 stations. The 24.90-km Line 5 (Thane-Kalyan) was approved for Rs 8,416 crore and the 20.75-km Line 12, a southern extension of Line 5, is expected to cost around Rs 4,132 crore.

The Pink Line (Line 6) is a 15.18-km elevated metro line under construction. It will connect Swami Samarth Nagar (Lokhandwala), Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), SEEPZ, Powai and Vikhroli through 13 stations. It is expected to cost around Rs 6,672 crore.

The Red Line (Lines 7, 7A, 9) is a 31.05-km elevated and underground metro line under construction connecting Mira Bhayandar, Dahisar East, Andheri East and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) Terminal 2 through 23 stations. Line 7 has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 6,208 crore. Lines 7A and 9 will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 6,518 crore.

C. Proposed lines

Gold Line (Line 8): CSIA-Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA); 35 km, seven stations

Orange Line (Line 12): Kalyan-Taloja; 20.7 km, 17 stations

Purple Line (Line 13): Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road)-Virar; 23 km, 20 stations

Magenta Line (Line 14): Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg-Badlapur; 45 km, 40 stations.

Not surprisingly, infrastructural projects have long gestation periods and require huge investments.

- by Praharshi Saxena