Uddhav Thackeray says MVA govt hasn't stopped developmental projects initiated by former BJP govt

Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said his government has not stopped any development projects initiated by the previous regime, but is expediting their completion. Speaking at the unveiling of new bogies for Metro trains on Line 7 and 2A and other facilities, Thackeray said, in the next three to four years, Mumbaikars will get access to smooth transportation and affordable housing. The Metro rail in Mumbai will supplement the suburban railway system and ease the pressure on it, the chief minister said. “The suburban railway is being reopened for public from 1 February and I appeal to citizens to ensure that there is no crowding and comply with all COVID-19 safety measures,” he said. Urban development minister Eknath Shinde said the trial runs for Andheri-Dahisar Metro route will begin soon and the services will start in four months, benefitting 13 lakh commuters. The ongoing works of Metro in Mumbai will be completed by 2026 and by 2031, one crore commuters will use the Metro network, Shinde said. The first indigenously-built Metro rail coach to be used for the Line 2A (Dahisar east to DN Nagar) and Line 7 (Andheri east to Dahisar east) arrived in Mumbai earlier this week. The manufacturing company Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), has successfully delivered the first “Made in India” Metro rake from its Bengaluru facility. On intervening night of Thursday (January 28) the rakes entered Mumbai city and was taken to the Charkop depot developed for integrated operations and control of both these Metro lines. The Metro trial runs will begin from March and will continue for a month, while the commercial operations are slated to commence from May onwards.