Mumbai, Feb 19 (NationPress) In a significant initiative aimed at enhancing and modernizing the infrastructure within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Thursday a detailed plan for the evolution of Thane and Kalyan. This transformation will be funded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) annual budget of Rs 48,000 crore, which was recently sanctioned at a meeting held earlier this week.

Shinde, who also chairs the MMRDA, emphasized that Thane is set to be developed as a ‘Mobility Hub’, while Kalyan will evolve into a ‘future-ready, advanced urban centre’ featuring improved connectivity, upgraded urban infrastructure, and sustainable development projects.

Identifying Thane as a crucial entry point to Mumbai and a key transport hub in the MMR, a significant allocation of Rs 12,000 crore to Rs 13,000 crore has been earmarked for the city's infrastructure enhancement.

The MMRDA has also green-lighted the ambitious 12-km Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project, which has gained administrative approval at an estimated cost of Rs 18,838 crore. An initial budget of Rs 3,000 crore has been set aside for the financial year 2026–27, as per a release from Shinde’s office.

Expansions of Metro Line 4 (from Wadala to Kasarvadavali), Metro Line 4-A (extending to Gaimukh), and Metro Line 6 (from Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli) will considerably enhance connectivity between Thane and Mumbai, thereby improving public transportation infrastructure in the area. An allocation of Rs 1,025 crore has been designated for the initial phase of the Thane Coastal Road project, while Rs 880 crore has been set aside for the Anand Nagar–Saket elevated road project.

Funds have also been allocated for the beautification and rejuvenation of Railadevi and Masunda lakes, along with Rs 214 crore for building the Kolshet–Kalher Creek bridge, which is anticipated to enhance local connectivity and reduce traffic bottlenecks.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde mentioned that Kalyan-Dombivli is also poised for significant infrastructure improvements with a budget ranging from Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 3,500 crore. The Kalyan Ring Road project, aimed at mitigating traffic congestion in the expanding urban cluster, has received Rs 600 crore from the total estimated project cost of Rs 1,239 crore.

Infrastructure initiatives such as Metro Line 5 (from Bhiwandi to Kalyan), Metro Line 5-A (Ulhasnagar extension), and Metro Line 14 (from Kanjurmarg to Badlapur) will be pivotal in establishing Kalyan as a significant transit hub within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, thereby enhancing regional connectivity and supporting urban growth.

Moreover, the Rs 584 crore Airoli–Katai Naka road project will further bolster connectivity between Thane, Kalyan, and Navi Mumbai, improving overall transport efficiency across the region.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde has also instructed priority action to tackle water scarcity in the region while expediting work on the Poshir and Shilar dam projects to fortify water supply infrastructure.

Additionally, to alleviate traffic congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the government is rolling out a comprehensive transport strategy that includes a 337-km Metro network, pod taxi systems, boat taxi services, multi-modal connectivity corridors, flyovers, and underground road systems.