Maharashtra: CM Shinde asks collector to be nodal officer to oversee development works in Thane

CM Eknath Shinde. File Pic

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed Thane collector Ashok Shingare to be the nodal officer to oversee the ongoing development works in the district, an official said on Friday.

The chief minister on Thursday held a meeting with select ministers and senior officials of the region, a release issued by the district administration stated.

Shinde directed officials to complete the ongoing work on highways, connecting roads, repairs on bridges before the monsoon season, it said.

Officials of departments such as highways, Metro, Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority (MMRDA), public works department (PWD), traffic police and civic PWD have been asked to coordinate and complete the ongoing developmental works, the release said.

The CM Shinde also asked officials to provide parking lots for heavy vehicles plying to and from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), it said.

Shinde directed that the number of traffic wardens must be increased, and cranes should be provided to attend to heavy vehicles that break down on highways, the release said.

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CM Shinde's government in the state has been majorly concentrating on the development works in the state.

CM Shinde had last month inaugurated the Kopri bridge in Thane in order to decongest traffic jams at the border of Mumbai, Thane district, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has upgraded the 2+2 lane railway Over Bridge to 4+4 lane at Kopri in Thane city., an official press release had said.

It said that the entire cost of 784 meters long and 37.04 metre wide bridge has been borne by MMRDA. The bridge portion over the railway crossing is constructed by Central Railway for which MMRDA funded them.

The vehicular traffic coming from 5+5 lane Eastern Express Highway on 2+2 lane Kopri bridge is maximum during the peak hours. Kopri becoming bottle neck during peak hours, because of which crossing Kopri bridge was a tough task. After the widening of Kopri bridge the border of Mumbai-Thane district will become traffic congestion free, and also benefits small and heavy both types of vehicles on the Eastern Expressway.

(with PTI inputs)