mumbai

Updated: Mar 18, 2016 14:18 IST

In what could be a major infrastructure boost for Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced in the state Assembly that key projects, such as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), the coastal road, the Navi Mumbai International Airport and two new Metro lines, will be completed by 2019.

Interestingly, the next Assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls are both scheduled for 2019.

Fadnavis said the projects are on track and his government is committed to meeting the deadline.

“We have decided to issue the work order for the coastal road by September and complete the first phase by July 2019. After obtaining permissions in one year, the work order for MTHL will be handed over in October or November this year and the first phase will be operational in 2019. In case of the Navi Mumbai airport, we may advance the deadline and start operations before the December 2019 deadline,” said Fadnavis.

The chief minister also said work on the two Metro lines launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year was progressing as per schedule and the first phase of Metro 7 and 2A will be operational by mid-2019. He said a decision on having the Metro car depot at Aarey will be taken soon.

Fadnavis said international finance agencies have shown keen interest in the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway and the government will soon prepare a detailed project report for the project.

The opposition had targeted the government and the chief minister, during the debate on Governor’s address to the Legislature, claiming that no work had begun and all the projects had the 2019 deadline. While replying to the debate, Fadnavis said his government had moved the projects, which were delayed for years during the Congress government rule, in the right direction and had made “impressive progress” after coming to power.