Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stone for various Mumbai Metro projects, in line with the vision of Mumbai in Minutes. The projects will provide a boost to the metro infrastructure of the city and will contribute to a safer, faster and better commute for every Mumbaikar.
Appreciating the spirit of Mumbaikars, PM Modi said that Ganesh Utsav started by Lokmanya Tilak has become popular in India and abroad too.
Speaking on the undying resolve of ISRO and its team of scientists, the PM said: “There are three types of people who strive to attain goals: those who do not even start due to fear of failure, those who start but run away on facing challenges and those who strive continuously despite big challenges. ISRO and those associated with it belong to the third category; they do not stop or get tired or pause before the mission is attained. Though we have faced a challenge in Mission Chandrayaan 2, ISRO’s scientists will not stop until the goal is realized. The goal of conquering the moon will definitely be achieved. It is a historic achievement that the Orbiter has been placed successfully in the lunar orbit.”
PM Modi said that projects worth 20,000 crore rupees have been initiated in Mumbai today, while 1.5 lakh crore rupees have already been invested in Mumbai Metro. He said that new metro lines, Metro Bhavan and new facilities at metro stations will give a new dimension to Mumbai and make life easier for Mumbaikars. “The connection between Bandra and expressway will make life easier for professionals. With these projects, Mumbai can be reached in minutes”. He complimented the state government for the changes being brought about in the field of infrastructure.
As India proceeds towards the goal of becoming a 5 trillion dollar economy, our cities too should become cities of the 21st century. In line with this goal, the Government is spending 100 lakh rupees in next five years on building modern infrastructure, which will benefit Mumbai and many other cities. The PM highlighted the importance of future-ready infrastructure and noted that connectivity, productivity, sustainability and safety need to be considered while developing cities.
To make transport easier, the Government is striving to build integrated transport systems. A vision document has been released to provide better infrastructure for Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The document explains how to make best use of various modes of transport, such as Mumbai local, bus system. A master plan for Mumbai metro has been made.
Informing citizens about the expansion plan for Mumbai Metro, the PM said: “From 11 km today, the metro network of the city will increase to 325 km by 2023-’24. The capacity of the metro will become as much as that of the volume of people carried by Mumbai local today. The coaches which run on the metro lines will also be manufactured in India.”
PM Modi stated that 10,000 engineers and 40,000 skilled and unskilled workers will get job opportunities due to the metro projects. Citing the examples of Navi Mumbai airport, Mumbai Trans Harbour terminal and bullet train project, Modi said that the scale and speed with which projects are being executed today is unprecedented.
Reflecting on the fast expansion of the metro system in India, Modi said that metro was present in only a few cities until recently, while today a metro is present or is being launched in the near future in 27 cities. “675 km of metro lines are operational today, out of which around 400 km became functional in the last five years; work is in progress on 850 km, while approval has been given for work on 600 km of metro lines.”
He said that efforts are being made to develop India’s infrastructure in a holistic way, in order to fast-track development.
