Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Maharashtra and unveil projects worth over Rs 30,500 crore in the state. Among the projects is the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, the longest sea bridge in India, built at a cost of about Rs 17,840 crore. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for an underground road tunnel and launch the Namo Mahila Shashaktikaran Abhiyaan. The visit aims to improve urban transport infrastructure and connectivity, contributing to the ease of mobility for citizens in the region. The foundation stone of the bridge was laid by PM Modi in December 2016.
It is about 21.8 km-long six-lane bridge having about 16.5 km length over sea and about 5.5 km on land.
It will provide faster connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport and will also reduce travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa and South India. It will also improve connectivity between Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. At Navi Mumbai, the Prime Minister will unveil development projects worth more than Rs 12,700 crore in the public programme.
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of the underground road tunnel connecting Eastern Freeway’s Orange Gate to Marine Drive. The 9.2 km tunnel will be built at a cost of more than Rs 8700 crore and will be a significant infrastructure development in Mumbai that will reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marine Drive.
The Prime Minister will dedicate phase 1 of the Surya regional bulk drinking water project to the nation. The project, developed at a cost of more than Rs 1,975 crore will provide drinking water supply to the Palghar and Thane district of Maharashtra, benefiting about 14 lakh people.
During the programme, Prime Minister will dedicate about Rs 2000-crore railway projects to the nation. These include the dedication of ‘Phase 2 of Uran-Kharkopar railway line’ which will enhance connectivity to Navi Mumbai as suburban services running between Nerul/Belapur to Kharkopar will now be extended to Uran. Prime Minister will also flag off the inaugural run of the EMU train from Uran railway station to Kharkopar.
Other rail projects that will be dedicated to the nation include a new suburban station ‘Digha Gaon’ on the Thane-Vashi/Panvel Trans-Harbour line and the new sixth line between Khar Road & Goregaon railway station. The projects will benefit the thousands of daily commuters in Mumbai.
Prime Minister will inaugurate ‘Bharat Ratnam’ (Mega Common Facilitation Centre) for the gems and jewellery sector at Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone-Special Economic Zone (SEEPZ SEZ), which is the first of its kind in India with “best available machines in the world, including 3D metal printing”.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the New Enterprises & Services Tower (NEST)- 01 at SEEPZ-SEZ. The NEST-01 is primarily for gem and jewellery sector units which will be relocated from existing Standard Design Factory – I. The new tower has been designed for large scale production and as per the demand of the industry.
The Prime Minister will also launch Namo Mahila Shashaktikaran Abhiyaan. The Abhiyaan aims to empower women in the state of Maharashtra by providing skill development training and exposure to entrepreneurship development.
The Abhiyaan will also undertake the effort towards the convergence and saturation of women development programmes of the state and central governments.
Prime Minister will inaugurate the 27th National Youth Festival (NYF) in Nashik. The National Youth Festival is organised every year from January 12 to 16 with January 12 being the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The host state for the Festival this year is Maharashtra. The theme of this year’s Festival is ‘Viksit Bharat.
