Stretch from Mantralaya to Vidhan Bhawan to be developed as administrative district of state: CM Devendra Fadnavis

He added that the design and development plans are already underway with an objective to create more space to accommodate administrative offices within the same premises.

“The Bombay High Court will be relocated to Bandra, but Mantralaya will remain in the same premises,” the chief minister said.

However, he said, there are plans to make a new Mantralaya.

“All the bungalows of ministers and other structures between the Mantralaya and Vidhan Bhawan will undergo development and make the new administrative district of Maharashtra,” he said.

The move is aimed at bringing all administrative offices, which are now scattered due to the lack of space and infrastructure,  under one umbrella, he said.

Fadnavis said that he is determined to take all the mega projects initiated during his first tenure as the chief minister to their logical end in the current tenure.

The chief minister also said that Mumbai Metro projects criss-crossing through the city and its suburbs will change the mobility bringing huge relief to the Mumbaikars. With 70 lakh passenger capacity, it is almost parallel to Mumbai local trains which can carry 90 lakh passengers.

The chief minister indicated that there are plans to make all local trains air-conditioned. The process of upgradation of local trains has led to better amenities to the commuters, he said.

“We have proposed to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for further enhancement of the local trains to bring it at par with Metro with the existing train fare,” Fadnavis said.

On Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) city project, which is expected to be bigger than Mumbai, Fadnavis said, “ The detailed plans along with the process have already begun. Within NAINA, we plan an educational hub which entails collaboration with foreign universities. We will host the best foreign universities with ranking 50 to 100. Almost 12 foreign universities are likely to become a part of the hub. We have signed up with at least five best universities,” he said.

According to Fadnavis, the Navi Mumbai airport will be completed in the next six months. The entire coastal road works will also be completed in the same tenure.

“The infrastructure driven development will not only help in connectivity and reduce travel time but also encourage people to switch to public transport. We are bringing integrated single ticket system which will allow people to use Metro, local train, bus or mono rail using the same ticket,” he said.

According to the CM, the water taxi which is high on the government agenda will become a reality soon.

Recalling how RoRo services was initiated during his first tenure, Fadnavis said the water taxi jetty work will be taken up near Radio Club. He lamented that there were some protests from South Mumbai residents. “But gradually, once the Bombay Port Trust is developed, we will shift the water taxi infrastructure there,” he said.

Fadnavis said that the land acquired for the coastal road stretch will be essentially preserved only for stated projects with environmental safeguards. “We will not allow any real estate development on this claimed land,” he said, adding, “The Race Course at Mahalaxmi will be preserved and not opened for any real estate development.”

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