Maharashtra: Navi Mumbai airport in 4 years, coastal road in 2.CM Fadnavis sets ambitious deadlines.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently set ambitious deadlines for showpiece transport-infrastructure projects.

He said the Rs. 9,000-crore coastal freeway, which he has been pushing for an environment clearance with the Union government, should be completed in two years once all approvals are in place.

'Once we get clearances, we should be able to build the coastal road in two years. World over, much bigger projects have been built in two years. It is possible because the coastal road does not involve much displacement of people,' the chief minister said while speaking at the 'Mumbai Next' conclave.

The coastal road will be a 35-km freeway from Nariman Point to Kandivali and is proposed to be built on reclamation and stilts. The freeway will provide much respite to the congested western suburbs. With green norms currently prohibiting reclamation, an environment clearance for the project has been a sticky issue. However, under the BJP-led government at the Centre, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has shown willingness to modify norms for the project.

Fadnavis said all approvals for the coastal freeway should be through in the next three months and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should be in a position to invite tenders.

The chief minister also assured that the first flight from the much-delayed Navi Mumbai International Airport, estimated to cost Rs. 14,000 crore, will take off by 2019. The project, being implemented by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), recently received four pre-qualification bids.


THE INDIAN EXPRESS