The 1978 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who was serving as chairman of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) said that heading the authority was a great responsibility.
“The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been at the forefront of infrastructure development of the city as well as the region since 2005. The organisation has been overstretched for the past half a decade. However, we will not be bogged down by pressure. Our plan is to look for augmentation and further expansion,” said Rahul Asthana, the newly appointed metropolitan commissioner of the authority on Thursday.
The 1978 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who was serving as chairman of the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) said that heading the authority was a great responsibility. “I was a part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation as well as the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) in the past. This experience plus the tenure at MbPT will be valuable while heading MMRDA, ” said the new chief.
“My predecessor has worked hard to give the city projects ranging from metro, monorail, skywalks to the innovation park, regional land fill sites and the iconic tower. My first priority will be speedy completion of these ongoing projects. The authority staff has been overworked. But augmentation is the only solution for this and certainly not going back to the drawing board,” added Asthana.
Commenting about the opposition to the elevated metro corridors by a section of residents- especially on the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd route, Asthana said that even he was of the opinion that the metro should be underground. “However, one must understand that this is not possible due to the high cost of construction. Though MMRDA is a cash rich body, the demands of underground metro’s construction are beyond the capacity of the authority. However, I am open to discussions with those who oppose the elevated metro,” opined the official.
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