A happy 2024 for Navi Mumbai

CIDCO is set to play Santa to Navi Mumbaikars in 2024, with a host of infrastructure and housing projects that are either ready or expected to be completed in the coming quarters of the new year

By Vinod Kumar Menon

Project 1
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) 

NMIA, will be one of the world’s largest greenfield airports implemented by CIDCO and the first urban multi-airport system in India, being developed by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. NMIA, is proposed to have two parallel and independent runways for simultaneous and independent operations, along with full-length parallel taxiways on either side of runways. NMIA is planned to handle a minimum of 60 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo annually. The airport is aimed to ease the traffic pressure on the Mumbai airport. “Phase-I of the airport will be commissioned very soon and the first flight is expected to take off by the end of 2024,” said a CIDCO official.

Proposed connectivity plan: 
>> Extension of Sion-Panvel expressway
>> Boosting of NH 4B, Amra Marg and SH-54
>> Metro connectivity between CSM International Airport and NMIA
>> Nerul Passenger Water Transport Terminal
>> Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL)
>> Coastal road connecting MTHL and NMIA

Project 2
Water Transport, Nerul

The passenger water terminal in Nerul is ready

The work of the Nerul passenger water terminal is completed in all aspects and has been lying ready for passenger transport operation to be undertaken by the Maharashtra Maritime Board since last year. It is hinted that the service may become operational by 2024. It is being developed as part of the Eastern Waterfront project, under the central government’s inland water transport development policy. CIDCO has completed its part by constructing a jetty at Nerul and a marina at Belapur, with the project cost estimated at around R150 crore. The passenger water terminal will significantly reduce the travel between Navi Mumbai and South Mumbai and between Navi Mumbai and the Konkan region. 

Key features:
>> Passenger facilities.
>> Reduce stress on roads, rlys
>> Catamarans and speedboats

Project 3
Kharghar Golf Course

The golf course at Kharghar

CIDCO has already started work to make the golf course in Kharghar of international standards and increase the number of holes from 11 to 18. The new course is expected to be operational in the new year. The project cost is estimated at Rs 50.35 crore. The golf course will allow Navi Mumbai to hold a prestigious place in the golfing world and raise the living standards of residents of the city. Once developed, a private operator will take over the golf course for for a predetermined period.

Project Includes:
>> Club House 
>> Five-star hotel, apts/villas
>> A golf academy 

Project 4
Transit Oriented housing

CIDCO is planning to launch a new housing scheme under the Pradanmantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for economically weaker sections and lower-income groups. The scheme is based on the concept of ‘Transit Oriented Development’. Under this scheme, tenements will be developed near bus depots, the truck terminal and railway station areas to reduce travel time and expenses. This will also encourage the use of public transport.

Project 5
Bamandongri Railway Stn

The passenger water terminal in Nerul is ready

The 27-km-long Nerul/Seawoods-Uran Rail Corridor, being developed by CIDCO, will have 10 railway stations and is being developed in two phases. The first phase (12 km) consists of the following route: Seawoods-Kharkopar and Belapur-Sagarsangam. Of the five stations proposed in the first phase (Seawoods, Sagarsangam, Targhar, Bamandongari and Kharkopar), the work of two has been completed. Work on Targhar station and Gavan station will be completed by mid-2024.

Project 6
Two bridges by MSRDC

To reduce traffic congestion on the Sion-Panvel highway, two new bridges of three lanes each, are under construction near the Vashi creek. Once operational by the third quarter of 2024, they are expected to ease vehicular movement during peak hours. The project has been undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) at an estimated cost of Rs 775 crore.

Future CIDCO projects in pipeline

NAINA (Other projects NAINA)
CIDCO has started work towards future sustainable development in NAINA notified areas of 371 sq km on land from Thane and Raigad districts. This would restrict haphazard development around NMIA. The draft town planning infrastructure plan for TPS 2 to TPS 7 is already ready, and work on the draft for TPS 8 to TPS 12, is underway.

Kharghar-Turbhe Tunnel Road
CIDCO is proposing to construct a tunnel road linking Turbhe to Parsik Hill, which will provide direct access to the proposed International Corporate Park (ICP), Kharghar. The 5.49 km stretch would ease traffic congestion on the Sion-Panvel Highway and is expected to reduce the travel time between Vashi and Kharghar by 15 minutes. The CIDCO board had in September 2023 approved the project at a cost of Rs 3,166 crore.

Coastal Road for new airport
Connectivity to the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport will be made easier via the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), the Mumbai Coastal Road and the connector to the MTHL. The Nerul-Belapur-Kharghar Coastal Road, along with the connector and a new pathway from the Amra Marg (Panvel creek) are all at various stages of progress. Another jetty has also been proposed closer to the new airport. Interestingly, the entire elevated road connecting to the terminal has been barricaded.

International Corporate Park (BKC 2)
The work on the centre of excellence project ICP (BKC2) in Kharghar has already started. BKC2 will take shape in a systematic phased manner over the next few years. It is set to become the future commercial, educational and residential hub, with entertainment, sporting and other social infrastructure, having state of art connectivity. “We have already undertaken expansion work of the golf course and a huge football ground is within the proximity of BKC2. Also, educational institutions like NMIMS have already started operation,” said a CIDCO official.

Multi-lane expansion 
Other infrastructure connectivity projects include the multi-lane expansion of the Sion-Panvel Highway (excluding bridges) till the Expressway and an extension of Palm Beach Road to Ulwe-Uran and the E-way. The 1350 km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will end at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). The 1,504 km Western Dedicated Freight Corridor connecting Dadri in Uttar Pradesh (near Delhi) with JNPT will help transport freight at higher speed with increased load-carrying capacity. The 126-km-long Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor connecting to JNPT will support mega projects and reduce traffic congestion.

Future Metro lines 
While the 11.10 km Metro Line 1, (CBD Belapur to Pendhar, Taloja) was opened to the public in November 2023, talks are on for other Metro projects, at initial stages, which may include proposed Metro Line 2 which is elevated between Taloja, MIDC to Khandeshwar (7.12 km), Metro Line 3 which is elevated between Taloja MIDC to Pendhar (3.87 km extension of Line 1) and Metro Line 4 which is elevated and underground between Khandeshwar to Navi Mumbai Airport (4.17 km extension of Line 1). Also, a Metro line is proposed to connect Pendhar to Kalyan.

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