The Maharashtra cabinet, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has cleared several infrastructure upgrade projects worth INR 75,000 crore across Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. The plan includes new metro lines, suburban railway upgrades, road projects, and a new Bombay High Court complex.
Mumbai Metro Line 11
The line will run from Wadala to the Gateway of India and will cover 17.51 km, costing about INR 24,000 crore. It will run mostly underground with 14 stations, 13 of which will be below ground.
The line will extend the existing Wadala–Thane–Kasarvadavli corridor. Trains will run in six-car formations with speeds of up to 80 kmph. Peak frequency will be 2.5 minutes. The project expects 5.8 lakh daily passengers by 2031, growing to over 10 lakh by 2055.
Metro Car Shade
A metro car shade will be constructed 104 acres of land, with 92.5 acres already government-owned. About 56 acres will be permanently acquired, and 48 acres will be used temporarily. It will be built on 39 acres at Anik-Pratiksha Nagar, shared with BEST bus operations.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency will provide financial support. The state will also seek equity of INR 3,137.72 crore and interest-free debt of ₹916.74 crore from the Centre. A commercial complex at Wadala Depot will generate additional revenue. The cabinet also approved state responsibility for repayment of project loans.
Suburban Rail
The cabinet approved the purchase of 238 fully air-conditioned trains under MUTP-3 and MUTP-3A. This will cost INR 4,826 crore, shared equally between the Railway Board and the state. The state will contribute INR 2,413 crore. This procurement will be funded without external loans.
They will be built to be run as 15 or 18-car trains, provided the supporting infrastructure, such as platforms, the signalling system and tracks, is modified to accommodate them.
The cabinet also cleared projects under MUTP-3B, with 136.652 km of new routes costing INR 14,907.47 crore. The state will provide half the funding, about INR 7,453.73 crore. Key projects include the New Panvel–Vasai suburban corridor covering 69.226 km, a fourth line between Asangaon and Kasara covering 34.966 km, and the third and fourth lines between Badlapur and Karjat covering 32.46 km.
These projects will be executed by the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation. The state will adjust its share from Bandra (East) railway land monetisation revenues. A premium on suburban train tickets will also be proposed to fund the Urban Transport Fund.
Bombay High Court
The cabinet approved a new Bombay High Court complex at Bandra (East). The project will cost INR 3,750 crore and cover 30.16 acres of government land. The complex will have courtrooms, chambers, auditoriums, a library, housing, and parking. Authorities are considering it a priority project.
Working Hours and Labour Amendments:
The Maharashtra Cabinet approved increasing daily working hours for private sector employees from 9 to 10 hours, with maximum daily hours up to 12 and weekly hours up to 60.
Outer Ring Road Project:
The cabinet also approved the INR 13,748 crore New Outer Ring Road in Nagpur, stretching 148 km and 120 m wide. It will connect with the Samruddhi Expressway, Amravati, Hingna, Hyderabad, Umred, Bhandara, Bhopal, Katol, and Jabalpur routes.
Other Metro Projects
The cabinet also approved loan guarantees for the Thane Circular Metro, Nagpur Metro Phase II, and several Pune Metro lines. These include Pimpri-Chinchwad-Nigdi, Swargate-Katraj, Vanaz-Chandni Chowk, Ramwadi-Wagholi, Khadakwasla-Swargate-Hadapsar-Kharadi (Line 4), and Nal Stop-Warje-Manikbag. The state will take responsibility for repayment of debt and interest.
Metro Project Loan Approvals:
The cabinet approved raising loans for several metro projects in the state. Loans can be secured at soft interest rates from bilateral/multilateral institutions, with repayment responsibility resting on project agencies.
The overtime limit has also been raised (115→144 hours per quarter for industries; 125→144 hours for shops), with rest breaks after 6 hours and written worker consent required. Shops/establishments with fewer than 20 workers no longer need registration certificates.
Also Read: Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Thane To Navi Mumbai International Airport Elevated Road
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