The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has recently reviewed key infrastructure projects of Maharashtra with the State Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and other Ministers concerned. The projects discussed include airport projects at Navi Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur and Mumbai Elevated Rail Corridor Project.
The meeting with the PM discussed the projects which needed to be fast tracked so that infrastructure in Mumbai and other major cities remain in the forefront of development.
The most significant breakthrough was on the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The current Mumbai Airport is expected to reach full capacity by 2015 and in the context of Mumbai`s needs as a business and financial centre, there is a pressing need to develop a new international airport.
Another project that was finalised was the new international airport in Pune. The present Pune Airport belongs to IAF and the civilian airport operates through a civil enclave. Given the traffic projections at Pune, there is an urgent need to build a new Green Field Airport.
The other long pending issue which was resolved is the expansion of Nagpur airport (MIHAN). It was resolved in the meeting that Government of India would move to exchange the necessary land with the Government of Maharashtra so that the work on this can begin immediately.
The other important project that was discussed is the Mumbai Elevated Rail Corridor Project, which envisages an investment of Rs.20,000 crore to build additional suburban traffic capacity over 60 kms.