TheMaharashtra government is looking beyond its proposed coastal road plan to develop a comprehensive network of urban freeways and highways connecting the financial capital of the country to major satellite townships. The 1,740-km highway corridor will be developed by 2030.
 
 This has been recommended by the 11-member joint technical expert committee, which submitted its final report to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on January 17. The panel, headed by Municipal Commissioner Subodh Kumar, has drawn the idea from a Comprehensive Transport Strategy prepared by consultants Lea Associates for the MMRDA in 2009.
 
 The committee acknowledged that even though the share of public transport in Mumbai and surrounding areas is already high, the roads are badly congested and the government needs to substantially invest in road transport infrastructure. This could be done in the form of rings, radials, urban freeways and a well-developed and connected network of highways.
 
 An Outer Ring Road connecting Khopoli, Jite and Rewas Port will complete the ring. This apart, there will be eight radials connecting NH-8, parts of NH-3, Bhiwandi Bypass, Nahur, Airoli, Nilaje, Badlapur, Chembur, Mankhurd, Vashi, Taloja, Belapur, Kalamboli, Uran, Pen and New Airport. The corridor will be completed by extending Western Coastal Freeway in the south and north up to Virar.