BUKAD NEWS

'Mumbai mega infra-projects to be completed by 2013'

India Gazette
Wednesday 7th March, 2012
(IANS)

Focusing on completing mega-infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai, the state government has allocated Rs.4,825 crore for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for fiscal 2012-13 beginning April 1.

Though no new projects have been announced, the emphasis would be to complete the mega-projects like Monorail, Metro rail, elevated road near the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Sahar and important roads in and around Mumbai, MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said here Tuesday.

The budget was approved at the MMRDA's 130th meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

The highlight would be kicking off the crucial 22 km, Rs.8,800 crore Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link, the city's second sea-bridge after the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The ammount is to be spent over four-five years.

The project is expected to be awarded by November, Asthana said.

Another major infrastructure project is the 126-km-long Virar-Alibag Multi-Modal Corridor linking Thane, Mumbai and Raigad districts.

It is being implemented in two phases -- Virar-Chirner (79 km) and Chirner-Alibaug (47 km) at a cost of Rs.9,326 crore with dedicated lanes for traffic, buses, two-wheelers and non-motorized transport.

"We have made significant allocation for strengthening our road network as well as for developing infrastructure. The funds will be used for completion of the ongoing projects," Asthana said.

He said that MMRDA plans to start trial runs of the ambitious Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro railway by year-end and commission it in the next financial year, providing much-needed relief to Mumbai commuters.

An amount of Rs.338 crore has been earmarked for the Metro rail, including Rs.100 crore for the targeted Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar stretch, Rs.138 crore for the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd sector and Rs.100 crore for the underground Colaba-BKC-Andheri Link, Asthana said.

An allocation of Rs.870 crore has been made for the Monorail, while a large chunk - Rs.1,460 crore -- will be utilized on developing the road network in the city and surroundings.

Of the Rs.1,460 crore, Rs.660 crore will be spent for Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project components like Eastern Freeway (by December 2012), Anik-Panjrapole Link Road, Panjrapole-Ghatkopar Link Road, the under-construction Milan Rail Overbridge (tentatively, June 2012), and the elevated road outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) (by July 2012).

Mumbai's lifeline, the suburban railway network, will get Rs.290 crore under the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project-II, for developing various components.

An amount of Rs.800 crore has been allocated for the satellite towns/cities around Mumbai in Thane and Raigad districts, including Mira Road, Bhayander, Vasai, Virar, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath, Karjat and Badlapur.

Aware of the growing requirements of water in the Mumbai Metrpolitan Region areas, the MMRDA has allocated Rs.390 crore to develop water resources.

ULHASNAGAR NEWS

Ulhasnagar civic officials want salary as per sixth pay panel


More than 3,000 civic employees staged a dharna in front of the office of the municipal corporation on Monday. Alleging official apathy, the employees of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation were protesting against the non-payment of salaries in accordance with the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

“The civic authorities have only been making false promises. Whenever we met officials to make them aware of our plight, we were told that the civic body was looking into our demands and will find an amicable solution soon. However, two years have passed but nothing concrete has happened so far,” said Charansingh Tak, president, Akhil Bhartiya Safai Mazdoor Congress.

Tak added that official apathy had escalated this matter and infuriated employees now seek immediate action from municipal corporation to resolve this simmering crisis.

He warned that if the administration failed to offer any solution soon, 3,000 civic employees will go an indefinite strike.

Highlighting the grievances of civic employees, he said the authorities had failed to implement the recommendations of the Lad and Page committee report. There has been no progress in the recruitment of 300 employees, which has been pending for almost a year now. Due to the indifference of the civic officials, more than 200 workers have been forced to work on daily wages for almost 10 to 15 years. Most of them are due to retire soon, but the civic body still doesn’t have any concrete plans to offer them some retirement benefits.

When HT approached municipal commissioner Ashok Rankhamb, he said, “We had formed a committee to look into the matter and we are also seeking guidance from legal and account sections to implement the recommendations of the committee at the earliest. We have also approached the state government to expedite the matter.”

Expressing concern about employees’ welfare, he said, “They are our employees and we will be happy to address their grievances. We are looking into their demands and will see to it that this issue is resolved.”

ULHASNAGAR NEWS

MNS poll aspirants see merit in Hindi



The upcoming civic polls seem to have convinced the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray about about the virtues of multiculturalism.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray may refuse to speak any language other than Marathi, however, party leaders hand-picked by him in Ulhasnagar do not seem to share their party chief's xenophobia. The sizeable Sindhi population has forced MNS poll aspirants to campaign in Hindi.

Dinesh Ahuja, an MNS leader who may contest the civic polls from Ulhasnagar 2, is using signboards in Hindi appealing voters to join the party. He has also put up signboards in Marathi, however, he feels use of Hindi will give him "visibility". "I have installed signboards in Hindi and Marathi so that my voters clearly understand the party's message," said Ahuja. Sachin Kadam, chief of the party's Ulhasnagar unit, said, "Ahuja has not taken the party's approval before using signboards in Hindi. We will remove them.".