Mumbai declares 2027 ‘Metro Year’ with 70-km target and new road deadline

Mumbai has set an ambitious infrastructure target for 2027, with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis directing authorities to complete at least 70 km of Metro corridors next year and declaring 2027 the city’s “Metro Year”.

Fadnavis also fixed May 31, 2027 as the deadline for completing and opening the Sewri-Worli elevated connector, which will provide a faster link between the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and coastal road.

The directions were issued during a review meeting on infrastructure projects under the Chief Minister’s Office War Room.

The Sewri-Worli connector is expected to provide a more direct road connection between the eastern and western sides of Mumbai, helping motorists travelling between the two major transport links.

The chief minister also asked authorities to increase the length of Metro corridors targeted for completion by December 2026 from 36 km to 50 km. For 2027, the target has been fixed at at least 70 km, including pending works from this year.

Fadnavis further directed agencies to mechanise at least 50 per cent of infrastructure project work in an effort to meet stipulated deadlines and address labour shortages.

The meeting also reviewed the redevelopment of the Prabhadevi road overbridge over the Western and Central Railway tracks. MahaRail, which is executing the work, said girder launching would be completed by the end of November after missing the earlier September deadline.

Once the girders are launched across the railway tracks, MahaRail will take up the concrete work, while the approaches to the road overbridge will be constructed by the MMRDA-appointed contractor.

Fadnavis also directed the MMRDA, BMC and other agencies to update mapping of underground utilities and create a system for making the information readily available while infrastructure and civic projects are being executed.