Synopsis
Ajit Pawar reveals plans for ₹76,000 crore Vadhvan Port project in Maharashtra's 2025-26 budget, aimed at achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2027-28. Key infrastructure projects include airports, highways, and metro lines.Key Takeaways
- Proposed ₹76,000 crore Vadhvan Port project.
- Navi Mumbai International Airport set to begin domestic flights in April 2025.
- Expansion of Agri-logistic Hubs for regional farmers.
- Major investment in highways and metro lines across Maharashtra.
- New policies for coastal conservation and infrastructure development.
Mumbai, March 10 (NationPress) The Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, unveiled a proposal for rapid infrastructure development in the annual budget for 2025-26, aiming to reach the ambitious goal of a $1 trillion economy by 2027-28. The government anticipates that the ₹76,000 crore Vadhvan Port project will serve as a pivotal element in enhancing development. Plans include establishing the third airport for Mumbai and a bullet train station for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route in proximity to Vadhvan Port, which will also connect to the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Progress on the Navi Mumbai International Airport, spanning 1,160 hectares at Ulwe, is at 85% completion, with domestic flights set to launch in April 2025. Enhancements to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur are underway, and development work worth ₹1,367 crore at Shirdi airport has been approved, aiming to commence night landing facilities soon.
Passenger services at Belora airport in Amravati are expected to begin on March 31, while projects worth ₹147 crore at Ratnagiri airport are progressing, and a survey for a new airport in Gadchiroli is underway. The government plans to allocate necessary funds for the expansion of Akola airport.
The Finance Minister announced the creation of Agro-logistic Hubs along Hinduṛhudayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Samridhi Mahamarg, which will greatly benefit farmers from the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
Additionally, a significant highway project, the ₹86,300 crore Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Highway, covering 760 km, is in progress. The Swatantryaveer Savarkar Versova Vandre Sea Link, a 14 km project between Bandra and Versova, is set for completion by May 2028 at an estimated cost of ₹18,120 crore.
Work on the 564 km Pune to Shirur road, estimated at ₹7,515 crore, is also scheduled, along with a 25 km stretch from Talegaon to Chakan, including four elevated roads costing ₹6,499 crore.
A total of 143.57 km of metro lines will become operational in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune metropolitan areas, with 64.4 km of new lines, including 2 km in Pune and 23.2 km in Nagpur, launching in the next five years. The second phase of Nagpur Metro, covering 43.80 km with an expenditure of ₹6,708 crores, is ongoing, and metro work connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport will commence soon.
The Finance Minister also indicated that work on a floating jetty at Kashid in Raigad district will start shortly. A new policy for providing financial incentives for modern, well-equipped boats to ensure safe transportation from the Gateway of India in Mumbai to Mandwa and Elephanta is in the pipeline.
An externally funded project worth ₹8,400 crore will be implemented across coastal districts. Furthermore, the Maharashtra Sustainable Eco-Friendly Coastal Conservation and Management project has been proposed with ₹158 crore allocated for its execution. The government is also preparing the Amritkal State Road Development Plan for 2025 to 2047.
