Maharashtra has approved infrastructure projects worth Rs 28,227 crore aimed at improving connectivity and easing congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune. The package includes Metro Line 13 between Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar and an expansion of Pune’s Ring Road.
Metro Line 13 To Connect Mira-Bhayandar With Vasai-Virar
The Rs 17,724.99-crore Metro Line 13 will cover 25.03 km and feature 16 stations, including 13 elevated and three underground stations. The corridor will create a new public transport connection between Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar, covering parts of Thane and Palghar districts.
A major component of the project will be a 4.92-km integrated six-lane road-and-metro bridge across Vasai Creek. The structure will connect Panju Island and provide an additional east-west transport link within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The metro corridor is expected to reduce road travel time between the connected areas by around 50%. Passenger demand is projected to reach nearly 4.49 lakh commuters a day by 2031, as residential and commercial development continues across the northern suburbs.
Pune Ring Road Expansion To Divert Traffic
The second major project is the Rs 10,502.36-crore eastern expansion of the Pune Ring Road. The 31.805-km access-controlled corridor is intended to divert inter-city and inter-state traffic away from Pune’s existing urban roads.
The road will have three lanes in each direction and a design speed of 120 kmph. Its infrastructure will include bridges, viaducts, flyovers, tunnels and interchanges, allowing vehicles to bypass congested parts of the city.
The project is expected to strengthen Pune’s connectivity with surrounding industrial and logistics centres while reducing pressure on existing arterial roads.
Together, the two projects represent Maharashtra’s broader infrastructure strategy of expanding mass transit and road capacity. Metro Line 13 is expected to improve suburban connectivity across the MMR, while the Pune Ring Road expansion will provide an alternative route for long-distance traffic and support the region’s economic growth.
Source: Business Today
