Fadnavis breaks ground in NAINA region, targets 15 lakh jobs for 'third Mumbai'

The Maharashtra government has given fresh momentum to building a "third Mumbai" through planned development of the area around Navi Mumbai International Airport. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the state government has set a target of creating about 15 lakh new jobs through the NAINA region. Of these, 5 lakh will be high-paying jobs.

Fadnavis also said that local sons of the soil and farmers will get the first chance in the opportunities created by this development. They will be made true partners in development.

The event was held at Shirdhon in Panvel taluka, where the foundation stone was laid for development works in the NAINA area. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the SBR-9, BR-4 and BR-5 bridges and the Uran bypass bridge, built to connect the airport from the east. On the occasion, Fadnavis also distributed property cards to landowners.

Fadnavis said Navi Mumbai International Airport is not just an airport but a key link in advancing the economic progress of the entire region. An integrated development plan has been drawn up so that the airport's influence area is developed in a planned way and within a fixed time, and work is under way through town planning schemes. This is giving employment a greater push. The NAINA project spans 225.59 sq km.

On landowners, the Chief Minister said it had earlier been decided that the foundation stone would be laid only after land papers were handed to them. Accordingly, village-wise land measurement, plot identification, entry of ownership rights and the necessary paperwork are being carried forward. He assured them that the state government would stand with landowners until their questions are resolved.

According to Fadnavis, developing NAINA is not only about building roads, buildings and settlements. Providing jobs, water supply and other basic amenities is equally important. Projects such as Edu City, Medi City, Sports City, Aero City and Knowledge City will create many kinds of economic and social opportunities here. He expressed confidence that NAINA will give new direction to the development of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Raigad, Thane and Palghar.

He said that along with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, several growth centres such as Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur are coming up in Maharashtra. Similarly, the Thane, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and Palghar belt will become a major engine of the state's economic progress in the coming years. This development will happen only by taking the sons of the soil along and protecting their interests.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the day was historic for resolving long-pending issues in the NAINA region and speeding up its development. According to him, Navi Mumbai International Airport and Atal Setu have given new direction to the development of Panvel, Uran, Navi Mumbai and Raigad, and the area is emerging as Maharashtra's new growth engine. He said the opening of these important airport-linked projects will further strengthen connectivity with the Mumbai-Pune highway and national highways.

Shinde said that, putting the questions of NAINA landowners first, it has been decided to waive the development charge and betterment charge. Action on freehold conversion is also in its final stage. The distribution of property cards has opened the way for official entry of ownership rights on plots. Shinde said the sons of the soil who laid the foundation of this development by giving up their land must get its full benefit, and that making local farmers and sons of the soil partners in development is the role of the government.

Details of the projects: The Uran bypass bridge has been built by CIDCO between Hotel Anandi in the Dronagiri area of Navi Mumbai and Uran town. It aims to reduce traffic jams in Uran town and cut travel time. It cost Rs 50.26 crore and the bridge is 11 metres wide. The total length of the project is 941 metres, including a 640-metre bridge, a 153-metre approach road and a 148-metre connecting road. The bridge has 1.75-metre-wide footpaths on both sides and a 7.5-metre-wide carriageway for vehicles.

The second project covers three bridges, SBR-9, BR-4 and BR-5, taken up by CIDCO at a cost of Rs 953 crore. It aims to provide fast, easy and uninterrupted connectivity to Navi Mumbai International Airport from the east. The bridges cross Panvel Creek. They will give direct links from Pune, Panvel, Thane and Kalyan via National Highway 4B to the airport, the Ulwe Coastal Road, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and Amra Marg.

Including the circular traffic island in the middle, the bridges have a total length of 2,593 metres and a width of 60 metres. There is a four-lane main carriageway in each direction and a two-lane service road on each side. A circular traffic island 100 metres in diameter has also been built. Cloverleaf interchanges to the east and west of the airport will keep traffic moving continuously without signals.