MMRDA Unveils Rs 58,000 Crore Plan for Ring Roads to Ease Traffic Across Mumbai Region
Mumbai, 23rd September 2024: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has proposed a plan to envelop Mumbai with a comprehensive network of ring roads, with a budget of Rs 58,000 crore. Reports indicate that the project, which includes roads, bridges, and tunnels covering approximately 90 km, has been given the green light.
According to media sources, this network of ring roads aims to alleviate city congestion, reduce traffic jams, and shorten travel times over the next five years. The plan envisions surrounding the city with improved connectivity to suburban areas, and easy access to the Gujarat border, Konkan Maharashtra, and Western Maharashtra.
The seven inner and outer ring roads at the core of the project are currently in various stages of planning and tendering, the reports state. The MMRDA will collaborate with other agencies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Most of these new roads will operate on a toll system, according to MMRDA Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee. The initiative aligns with the ‘Mumbai in Minutes’ vision, which seeks to make it possible to travel across the city in under 59 minutes.
The project is also designed to handle the increased traffic expected due to major upcoming developments such as the Navi Mumbai International Airport and Wadhwan Port.
Mukherjee highlighted that the plan incorporates key infrastructure projects such as the Versova-Bandra Sea Link, the Versova-Dahisar and Mira Bhayander-Dahisar Link Roads, the Alibaug-Virar Multi-Modal Corridor, and the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway, which together will form a ring around the city.
The ring road network will navigate “sea, creeks, forests, and urban highways” through the use of tunnels and elevated bridges, Mukherjee noted. This extensive infrastructure initiative, totalling Rs 3 lakh crore, is part of a larger push for development, with backing from international organizations, including those from Japan.
