Flyovers will come up on Palm Beach Road, says CM

In a bid to decongest traffic on Palm Beach Road and Thane-Belapur Road, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) will be constructing flyovers on these roads, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation will not have to bear any expenses and all the costs will be borne by MMRDA, this is what Chavan has directed officials of MMRDA.

This decisions were conveyed by the chief minister during his meeting with Thane guardian minister Ganesh Naik last week at Mantralaya. Anticipating manifold increase in traffic in view of some infrastructure projects in the satellite city, officials from the civic body held discussions with MMRDA, MSRDC and public works department (PWD) for construction of flyovers in the satellite city. PWD is constructing six flyovers on the Sion-Panvel highway.

The chief minister has also directed MMRDA officials to prepare a proposal for Vikhroli-Koparkhairane flyover, which will ease the movement of traffic. It was also decided to share costs for infrastructure development works in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area.

“NMMC is developing infrastructure in MIDC area by spending money from its coffers. It has now been decided that both NMMC and MIDC will share the costs of infrastructure development work,” said Naik.

He added that Chavan has also directed Cidco officials to transfer plots reserved for public utility in the next three months to NMMC. Accordingly, it was decided to handover Agari-Koli Bhavan and Urban Haat to NMMC in the next three months.

1.5% LBT in Navi Mumbai
Guardian minister Ganesh Naik said both the state government and traders’ associations are reaching a consensus to implement local body tax (LBT) at 1.5% in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation area.

“The state government can decide on the upper limit of LBT, but leave it to the wisdom of local civic body to decide the lower limit. If the civic body is able to manage with LBT at 1% then we should be given that freedom,” the guardian minister said.