MMRDA dreams big, plans to complete 16 projects by 2013

The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has set itself an ambitious goal of completing 16 major infrastructure projects by 2013, a year ahead of their original completion dates. The collective cost of these projects, which include nine Metro corridors and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), is a whooping Rs114,000 crore.
 
In a circular issued by MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad to all his colleagues, the MMRDA top boss has said that the authority cannot afford to lose even a single day due to lack of proper planning, co-ordination or negligence. “I have decided to appoint a nodal officer for each of these projects. We may even hire experts or technicians considering the mammoth nature of these vital projects,” Gaikwad said.

The circular states that the planning and execution of all these projects is going to be a hug challenge for the MMRDA. Gaikwad, however, is confident that he and his men will be able to successfully finish all the projects on time.

“The projects are definitely ambitious.  However, implementing them is not unrealistic. For the iconic tower at Nariman Point, we have two bidders eyeing the project. For the innovation park, there are at least 25 consortiums — some of them having huge land bank in and around the metropolitan region — which have shown interest in the project,” Gaikwad said.