24 Things To Look Forward To In 2024

The Lok Sabha elections for 48 seats in March-April 2024 will see three ruling and opposition parties locked in a fierce battle. The BJP along with its alliance partners Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde and NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar will contest under Mahayuti banner while opposition Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP led by Sharad Pawar will contest under Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

In 2019, BJP (23 seats) along with its then alliance partner Shiv Sena (18 seats) led by Uddhav Thackeray had together won 41 seats. As the second largest state (with 48 seats) after Uttar Pradesh (80 seats), the state is crucial both for the ruling alliance led by the BJP and the opposition.

2. Battle for BMC

After nearly two years, Mumbai’s civic election is likely to take off anytime in 2024. At present, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is the richest civic body in the country, is under an administrator’s rule as the body of elected representatives was dissolved in March 2022. The civic body is being run by municipal commissioner and state-appointed administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal.

This is also only the second time since 1984 when the BMC has gone under an administrator’s rule. Chahal completed 21 months as an administrator in December 2023, making him the longest serving administrator in the civic body’s history.

3 Fresh wind to political equations

Following the vertical split in the Shiv Sena last year, it will be interesting to see how the new mayor and new political coalition unfolds within the BMC, which has been Sena’s bastion for over the past two decades. Besides witnessing which of the Sena faction emerges victorious, it will also be interesting to see how the NCP maintains its position in the BMC with Ajit Pawar joining the ruling side last year.

4. Coastly affair

In 2024, we may finally see the most anticipated and ambitious project of the BMC getting completed as the civic body has set a mid-February deadline for the Coastal Road project. Prior to this, the BMC had set a November 2023 deadline; however, the project got delayed as a key portion of the bridge between the proposed Worli interchange and Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) had to be redesigned. Initially, the south-bound arm of the bridge will be opened and, by middle of 2024, the entire bridge will become operational.

5. An extended wait

The much-vaunted Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge is set to be opened after reconstruction in the first half of 2024. The BMC had pitched for a mid-February deadline to open the bridge partially and, by middle of 2024, the civic body aims make this bridge fully operational. A key east-west connector, the Gokhale bridge had been shut since November 2022 and since then Mumbaikars have been facing sheer inconvenience.

The first girder of the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge in Mumbai’s Andheri. (Express File Photo)

6. Pothole-free Mumbai

Work on the Rs 5,800-crore mega concretisation project, which aims to make the roads of the city and suburbs pothole-free, is slated to begin in the coming months. On January 19, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted the ‘bhoomipujan’ for BMC’s mega project during a political rally in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). It has been nearly a year since the project was first floated, but actual work is yet to begin on the ground.

7. Taking off

Enabling effective management of traffic flow between T2 terminal and Bandra while streamlining traffic movement between Andheri and T1 terminal/Vile Parle, the upcoming bridge to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will become operational in 2024. Furthermore, it aims to alleviate congestion at intersections beneath the Western Express Highway (WEH) flyovers, facilitating faster travel and conserving both time and fuel. Pegged at a cost of Rs 48.43 crore, the bridge consists of a two-lane, one-way flyover spanning 615 metres and is being overseen by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) along the bustling WEH in Mumbai.

8. Bridging the gap

The 21.8-km-long, six-lane access-controlled MTHL bridge stretching from Sewri in Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai, named in honour of late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Navha Sheva Atal Shetu, is slated to be inaugurated in early 2024.

This bridge is poised to bridge the gap between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, easing congestion in Mumbai and unlocking fresh possibilities for land development and connectivity between the two regions. This expansive sea bridge, which traverses the Sewri mudflat, features three interchanges.

The first interchange, at Sewri in South Mumbai, links the MTHL to the Eastern Freeway on the Mumbai side. The second interchange, at Shivaji Nagar in Ulwe, connects the MTHL to the Navi Mumbai Coastal Road project. The third interchange, at Chirle, comprises one arm linking State Highway-54 and another connecting the NH-4 Mumbai-Pune Highway.

9. Down under, Mumbai’s Aqua line

The inaugural phase of the city’s highly debated first underground Metro Line 3, connecting Colaba to SEEPZ via Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), is set to commence commercial operations in 2024. The initial phase, spanning from BKC to SEEPZ, is equipped with all nine required rakes, currently stationed at the Aarey depot in Mumbai.

Dubbed as the Aqua line, this underground Metro traverses beneath Mumbai’s densely packed commercial, residential and industrial zones. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), overseeing this ambitious project, has said the line is anticipated to become one of the world’s busiest. The projected total ridership for 2025 stands at approximately 1.3 million passengers per day.

10. Need for speed
The scheduled opening of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) has been shifted to June 2024 after several hurdles. These challenges included modifications in design due to the complexity of location and geometry, as well as the requirement for defence land, causing the project to miss its initial deadline of April 2023. However, the MMRDA is now working towards the targeted inauguration in June 2024.

11. Gateway to Gorai’s Greens

The Gorai Mangrove Park, sprawled across eight hectares in Gorai village, is part of an eco-tourism initiative led by the Mangrove Cell of the Forest Department. This endeavour aims to introduce a new green space for the people of Mumbai. Scheduled for completion by mid-2024, the project will soon be accessible to the public. Central to the park will be the Nature Conservation and Interpretation Centre (NIC), occupying an area of 1,517 sqm. This centre is designed to raise awareness about the significance of mangroves and their ecosystems. Additionally, the park will feature a wooden boardwalk—a 2.5-metre-wide pathway stretching 700 metres through the mangroves—and amenities like a Watch Tower, providing visitors with an immersive experience amidst the natural surroundings.

12. Sena vs Sena

Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar will adjudicate the petitions of the disqualification pleas filed against Shiv Sena MLAs on January 10. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Speaker’s verdict holds utmost importance. The two factions of Shiv Sena MLAs led by CM Eknath Shinde and Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray have been against each other after a split in the undivided Sena led by Uddhav in June 2022.

13. The Ticking Clock

The ongoing case before the Election Commission of India (ECI), where Ajit Pawar has staked claim on the NCP party name and ‘Clock’ election symbol, will be decided in 2024. The result will not only have a long-lasting impact on Maharashtra’s politics but also on the political legacy of the state’s seniormost politician and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

14. All eyes on FCU

The Bombay High Court will pronounce its verdict in January 2024 on a batch of petitions filed by comedian Kunal Kamra, Editors Guild of India, News Broadcasters and Digital Association, and Association of Indian Magazines challenging the amended IT Rules, which empowers the government to identify ‘fake news’ on social media platforms through the Fact Check Unit (FCU).

15. Succession row

The Bombay High Court is all set to pronounce its verdict in a dispute between Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, current leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, and his challenger Syedna Taher Fakhruddin. The Dawoodi Bohras are a religious denomination among Shia Muslims. Traditionally, a community of traders and entrepreneurs, there are five lakh Dawoodi Bohras in India and over 10 lakh worldover. The top religious leader of the community is known as the Dai-al-Mutlaq.

16. Malegaon blast verdict

In 2024, a special court is likely to deliver the verdict in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, over 15 years after the terror attack. On September 29, 2008, a blast in Malegaon, a town near Nashik, nearly 270 km from Mumbai, killed six persons and left over 100 injured. The trial in the case began in December 2018 against seven persons, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit.

17. State’s first woman DGP?

Maharashtra will have a new police chief with incumbent DGP Rajnish Seth, a 1988-batch IPS officer, retiring on December 31. Seth’s batchmate, IPS officer Rashmi Shukla, is believed to be the frontrunner for the post. If she is appointed, she will be the first woman DGP to lead the Maharashtra Police. Shukla had a fraught relationship with the earlier MVA government, which named her as accused in two cases which were eventually quashed by the Bombay High Court. Seth has already been announced as the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) chief.

18. Healthcare

As 2023 draws to a close, the state health department is gearing up to streamline medicine procurement through the newly established medicine procurement cell next year. This initiative aims to alleviate the persistent issue of medicine shortages in government medical colleges and hospitals.

19. Mental health hospitals and more

The construction of the Thane mental health hospital, poised to become the largest mental health facility in Maharashtra, is also on track for completion. Additionally, the commencement of construction for the nine newly announced medical colleges across different districts is on the cards.

20. Towards an inclusive education

Maharashtra will soon have a policy on higher education for transgenders, in order to make the process more accessible and inclusive. Furthermore, Anganwadis are going to be attached to schools across Maharashtra. This for the first time is going to bring pre-primary education under the ambit of mainstream education, as recommended in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. With this, for the first time, there will be set goals of standardised learning outcomes and curriculum framework for pre-primary schooling in Maharashtra, including for government-run schools.

21. A Lollapalooza January

Among one of the most sought-after events lined up in 2024 is Lollapalooza, which made its Asia debut in 2023 in Mumbai. Returning with its second edition in the same city, at the same spot, the two-day music festival scheduled for January 27 and 28 at Mahalaxmi Race Course would see an eclectic lineup. It will be headlined by icons like Sting, Jonas Brothers, Halsey, OneRepublic, Keane, Jungle, Royal Blood, Anoushka Shankar, The Raghu Dixit Project, When Chai Met Toast and Prabh Deep, among others.

22. Rhythm and Blues

On February 11 and 12, Mahindra Blues Festival — one of the largest blues festivals in Asia — will entertain music lovers with its 12th edition at the iconic Mehboob Studio in Bandra. Celebrating the women in blues, it will present diverse voices, from Beth Hart, who is recognised as one of her generation’s most talented voices, to American singer-songwriter Dana Fuchs, who is known for a mix of Southern rock, soul, roots and blues, 2015 Chicago Blues Hall Of Fame Inductee Sheryl Youngblood and three-times Blues Music Award-winning Vanessa Collier. Also performing would be Tipriti Kharbangar, considered one of the finest woman singers to have emerged from Shillong and India as a whole.

23. Homecoming for Hardik Pandya

In summer, Mumbai Indians begin their journey in the IPL under Hardik Pandya, whose return to his former team has dominated the off-season chatter. Pandya takes over captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who led Mumbai to five titles, in a decision that has received mixed response from fans.

24. On your mark

Mumbai Marathon will take place on January 21, with the country’s top long-distance runners looking to lock their spots for the Paris Olympics.