Fadnavis Instructs Officials to Set New Completion Timeline for All Metro Projects

Mumbai, Jan 4 (NationPress) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting on Saturday where he instructed officials to devise a new timeline for the completion of all metro initiatives in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), stressing that delays are unacceptable. He specified that a minimum of 50 km of Metro lines should be made operational each year beginning next year.

This directive was issued during a review session of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal.

Fadnavis remarked, "Numerous metro lines are commencing operations without car sheds; hence, do not wait for these. Investigate global standards for such operations and assess temporary alternatives. Begin land reservations for car sheds now for all potential future metro initiatives."

He continued, mentioning that while 23 km of metro lines are set to become operational this year, Metro-3 will contribute an additional 20-25 kilometers to the overall network.

The Chief Minister also mandated that the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mill be completed by December 2025 and instructed officials to develop a maintenance strategy for both this memorial and the initial phase of the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial.

In another session, Fadnavis called for strengthening various planning authorities across the state, proposing a corporate operational model.

He presided over a meeting to assess the Urban Development Department's 100-day action plan, highlighting the necessity for capital investment in urban infrastructure development and suggesting innovative financing methods for fund acquisition.

Additionally, he urged the exploration of opportunities for providing concessions to single-screen theaters and promoting Marathi plays and films in these venues to bolster theater presence in urban areas.

The Chief Minister sanctioned funding for Solapur Smart City's water supply initiative aimed at addressing the city's water challenges.

Additional Chief Secretary to UD (1) department Asim Kumar Gupta shared the department's plans, which include reinforcing planning authorities, road development strategies for approximately 3,500 villages near urban areas, executing Urban Mission projects in cities with populations exceeding 10 lakh, digitizing building permit processes, and amending unified urban development and control regulations in line with tourism policies.

Moreover, he evaluated the Women and Child Development Department’s 100-day action plan and urged the department to effectively carry out malnutrition eradication efforts in urban locales, particularly in slum regions of Mumbai, in conjunction with rural initiatives.

He stressed the importance of collaborating with local governance entities to implement malnutrition alleviation programs in urban slums. He also emphasized maintaining sanitary facilities in Anganwadis, ensuring access to clean drinking water, and hastening the establishment of Urban Child Development Centers.

During this meeting, CM Fadnavis unveiled "The Inside Story of Mukhyamantri Mazi Ladki Bahin Yojana," a book written by Dr Anup Kumar Yadav, Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, which chronicles the implementation stages of the program.

In a further initiative, Fadnavis called for the creation of innovation hubs throughout Maharashtra to foster creativity and skill development among the youth of the state. The Chief Minister reviewed the 100-day action plan from the Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Department.

Fadnavis announced that the department aims to train 1.10 lakh youth through short-term training initiatives.

He instructed officials to strategize for enhancing training capacity by equipping government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) with modern training facilities.

Collaboration with industrial establishments will be fortified, and support for women entrepreneurs will be advanced through the Startup Support Scheme. Necessary funding will be allocated for departmental initiatives.

"We are dedicated to establishing a skilled and employment-driven Maharashtra," he affirmed.