A little new and a lot old in metropolitan region budget

The MMRDA said the budget had a deficit of Rs 2,287 crore,chiefly due to failure to sell land in Bandra-Kurla Complex owing to the economic slowdown.

The MMRDA,which has taken over the water transport project on the eastern waterfront from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation,will soon invite private operators to start a ferry service from Ferry Wharf to Vashi,Nerul and Belapur. A presentation was given to Chief Minister.

“The service will be in catamarans or hovercraft. We will invite vessel owners for licensing to operate the service,” said Ratnakar Gaikwad,metropolitan commissioner. The allocation will be used on infrastructure such as building terminals,food stalls and dredging.

The MMRDA is awaiting government permission to take over the water transport project on the western seafront if the MSRDC fails to attract private parties,Gaikwad added.

The roll-on,roll-off (RoRo) ferry service between Ferry Wharf and Mandva Jetty,near Alibaug,will carry vehicles across so motorists can avoid the usual three-hour drive to Alibaug. SVR Srinivas,additional metropolitan commissioner said the capacity is 200 vehicles and the services are likely for around seven to eight months a year.

A draft plan has been readied for Uttan-Gorai and Manori with a mangrove park,theme park and an ancient Indian cultural research centre. “We would like to take help of Chennai-based Swaminathan Institute for Mangroves to develop a park. We’re in talks with Universal Studios to develop a theme park on 45 acres in Manori,” Gaikwad said.

A human development programme to assess the social,economical condition of the metropolitan population is a new responsibility undertaken by the MMRDA.

Highlights
6,143 cr Total budget
2,287 cr Deficit
1,453 cr Monorail
380 cr Metro
546 cr Loan to civic bodies,etc
527 cr MUIP,200 cr for extended MUIP
500 cr Skywalk
350 cr Acquisition for land bank,growth centres