Mumbai: Besides Metro, Narendra Modi talks plastic, pollution

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched three metro lines in Mumbai. These include the 9.2-km Metro 10 corridor between Gaimukh and Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road), a 20.7-km Metro 12 corridor from Kalyan to Taloja and a 12.8-km long Metro 11 corridor between Wadala and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

The PM also laid the foundation for the 32-storey Metro Bhavan that is set to come up inside Aarey Colony. The building that will be the metro project's integrated operations and control centre has faced stiff protest from citizens since it will eat up a part of the city's green cover. Besides this, Modi also inaugurated the Bandongri Metro station on the Andheri (East) to Dahisar (East) Metro 7 corridor and unveiled the Brand Vision Document of Maha Mumbai Metro. In his speech, he praised CM Devendra Fadnavis for his accomplishments as the chief minister and the MMRDA, for taking up important infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project and the BKC-Chunabhatti connector.

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"The project that will connect BKC with Eastern Express Highway will be useful for lakhs of professionals travelling to BKC," Modi said, adding that there is a serious focus to integrate the various modes of transports for a smoother commuter experience. "The Mumbai Metro Master plan has been prepared with an intention to provide better commuting facilities for people staying in Mumbai Metropolitan Region." he said. At the moment, the only operational metro line is about 11 km. The Prime Minister said that would increase to 325 km by 2023-2024.

The PM was also shown the new metro coach, manufactured under the Make in India initiative. According to MMRDA officials, the coach was manufactured in a mere 75 days. "Metro will also create job opportunities. If we talk of Mumbai alone, 10,000 engineers and 40,000 skilled-unskilled people will get employment," Modi said. In his speech, the PM also appealed to Mumbaikars to refrain from using plastic and other waste material and releasing it into the sea. "I want to appeal to all the devotees and people to avoid throwing things like plastic and other waste that can pollute the sea during the visarjan," he said, urging citizens to clean up after the visarjan.

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