Mumbai: Mumbaikars, who battle rising traffic congestion and poor infrastructure on a daily basis, can now expect some relief. The state government and the centre have made an investment of Rs 2.75 lakh crore in Mumbai just for transport projects, all of which are slated to be undertaken in the next six years.
This is the equivalent of about US $30 billion, said real estate and business tycoon Niranjan Hiranandani, at an event, ‘Imagine 2060: Delivering Tomorrow’s Cities Together’, organised by the AECOM and Asia Society, a global nonprofit institution.
Hiranandani remarked a new paradigm shift is taking place in the city in terms of transport. “In the last 70 years, the centre and the state investment on transport was not even three billion. So three billion in 60 years for the city and the periphery of Mumbai.
And now, $30 billion in the next six years will add on to the sea-change that is likely to take place. Interestingly, most of the infrastructure work has already begun, like the metro projects, the Navi Mumbai international airport, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and others. A lot of deficit is there and that is the opportunity to do it. When you don’t have something, there’s an opportunity to do it. And that change is taking place.”
However, he also expressed concern over Mumbai, being in the last position in terms of affordable housing, when the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking to achieve housing for all. The reason cited is that the city does not have sufficient land for affordable housing.
Hiranandani stated, “More than 50 per cent of the people live in slums in the city of Mumbai. And the Real Estate Regulatory Bill and Good and Services Tax (GST) are some of the policy hurdles in the way of public-private partnerships in housing. Besides this, politics is often seen to interfere with policymaking, which has hampered the process of slum redevelopment and rehabilitation.”
Ashwini Bhide, managing director, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, who was also present at the event said, “Proper land utilisation, connectivity and affordability are the key pillars on which the infrastructure of Mumbai is built. Relevant association and partnership with both public and private organisations alone can make the city more convenient and simple for the public.
“All over the world, the primary public transport is the metro. In Mumbai, however, it is the suburban train network and land use is defined by this 150-year old network, supported by the BEST. There has been a neglect of public transport needs in Mumbai,” said Bhide.