The Human Development Report (HDR), copyrighted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, is a clear indication of the failures of the state government as well as the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA).
MMRDA is the planning authority for six municipal corporations and 13 councils across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). However, it was only in the recent past that the authority realised that its basic objective was to develop the satellite townships and municipal councils around Mumbai.
In the last two years, MMRDA has set up a solid waste management cell which has come up with six probable sites across the region with a total area of 2,791 hectares. Pune-based Science and Technology Park (STP) has been awarded the contract to procure and process satellite image and generating the data in GIS.
These images could provide accurate information on all the agricultural as well as non-agricultural land use, residential areas, forest areas, water bodies, open spaces, slums, road network, etc. The data once processed will be used for preparing a development plan for the metropolitan region.
The authority will be financing the revival of a power plant at Thakurli. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has given a nod for setting up a 700 mw gas-based power plant at the existing site in Thakurli. The power station will generate additional power for not only meeting the requirement of railways, but also make available surplus power for MMR.
MMRDA will also be coming up with multi-model corridors for the rest of the metropolitan region. “We can construct long distance modes of transport such as metro and monorail. These regions also require road connectivity which can be constructed along with modes of mass transport. These corridors will be far bigger in size as compared to the metro and monorail,” said Ratnakar Gaikwad, MMRDA chief.
MMRDA will provide financial assistance of Rs96 crore for the ongoing works of Surya dam project in Vikramgadh taluka of Thane district. Besides Surya, Shai, Poshir and Balganga are also to be constructed.
While Shai and Poshir dams will help meet the water needs of Thane municipal area; the Balganga dam will be for Navi Mumbai and other housing colonies of Cidco.
