Relief!

Finally! Somebody is taking note of Mumbai traffic woes. Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra recently announced an investment of Rs 270,000 crore to beef up Mumbai's transport infrastructure over the next 20 years. The state government's 2031 plan spearheaded by Rahul Asthana, Commissioner, MMRDA, includes construction of metrorail, monorail, sea link and water transport. Out of the total projects planned, 80 per cent will be used for transportation that includes 450 km of road, 250 km of suburban railway and another 1,700 km of roads. The Coastal Road Project, one of the most ambitious project in Maharashtra, is also on the anvil. Similarly, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) flagship project, which was bid unsuccessfully twice, would be put for bid again in May 2012. These projects, to be executed over the next twenty years, are expected to change the face of Mumbai.