Mumbai, Oct 5 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday directed officials to designate 2027 as the “Metro Year” by clearing pending works and completing at least 70 km of Metro routes by next year.
He instructed agencies to accelerate progress and expand the target of completing 36 km of Metro lines by December 2026 to 50 km.
To complete infrastructure projects within stipulated timelines, at least 50 per cent of project work should rely on mechanisation, he said.
Fadnavis also advised officials to address labour shortages through mechanisation while ensuring the availability of skilled workers.
The Chief Minister was speaking during a Chief Minister’s War Room meeting to review various infrastructure projects.
Regarding Metro Line 2B (D.N. Nagar to Chembur), Fadnavis said a special 12-hour road block should be planned on Sundays, whenever required, to complete girder installation work near Juhu Circle.
He said further road blocks should be decided after assessing progress while ensuring minimal inconvenience to citizens.
The Chief Minister directed that the Sewri-Worli Elevated Corridor connection be completed and opened to the public before May 31, 2027.
He said planning must be undertaken to prevent traffic congestion wherever a new road merges with an existing corridor.
Immediate technology-driven solutions should be identified for traffic bottlenecks at Vakola Junction, along with necessary interventions at congestion hotspots on the Western Express Highway, he added.
Fadnavis said the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other agencies must maintain updated mapping of underground utility networks.
A streamlined system should be developed so that such data is easily accessible during utility and infrastructure works, thereby reducing project completion timelines.
At active infrastructure construction sites, guidance boards, barricades and other safety measures must be installed to ensure the safety of both citizens and workers.
He also directed the establishment of an independent safety management company to develop a low-cost business model for such services.
Reviewing the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Water Supply Scheme, Fadnavis said care must be taken to ensure that every household receives a tap connection.
He said planning should be undertaken in a manner that avoids repeated road excavation while laying connections.
Agencies must ensure that contractors do not merely complete routine work but actively achieve the targets set for the project, he added.
The Chief Minister warned that contractors who delay projects or fail to complete them despite expiry of deadlines would face blocklisting.
He also directed officials to expedite legal proceedings and land possession issues related to Metro Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli).
Fadnavis reviewed projects including the Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector, Metro Line 9 (Dahisar East to Mira-Bhayander), Metro Line 5 (Thane to Dhamankar Naka and Kasheli Depot), Metro Line 2B (D.N. Nagar to Diamond Garden-Mandale), Metro Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli), and the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar City Water Supply Scheme, according to an official government release.
–IANS
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