Mumbai Metropolitan Region to contribute ₹ 1.7 crore to Maharashtra economy by 2047: Shrikant Shinde

MP Shrikant Shinde, Minister Ashish Shelar and SRA Commissioner Mahendra Kalyankar in conversation with Pankaj Joshi during the Hindu Maharashtra Infrastructure 2026 conclave at the Taj President in Mumbai. | Photo credit: Emmanuel Yogini

Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde, Mumbai Suburban Minister Ashish Shelar and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) Director General Mahendra Kalyankar on Friday (May 22, 2026) unveiled a set of proposals for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). They said the region will contribute ₹1.7 crore to Maharashtra’s economy by 2047 through decentralisation, a 377 km metro network and a housing scheme targeting slum dwellers with 300 sq ft rehabilitation units.

Addressing a panel on the expanding metropolis during the Hindu Maharashtra Infrastructure Conclave, Mr. Shinde said the MMR has received around ₹4,000 crore. The data centers and logistics centers in Navi Mumbai along with the port in Vadhavan will create jobs and reduce pressure on Mumbai, he added. He emphasized that the 377 km metro will be the largest such network in the world.

Mr. Shinde also said that Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), Ambernath and Ulhasnagar have unified their road and water transport systems. A water metro and road from Badlapur to Navi Mumbai are being built along with a controlled access highway that provides connectivity within 10 minutes. Water transport via 101 waterways is also expected, the MP further stated. He announced that the metro service for Thane will be approved soon, while work on Kalyan metro is already underway.

New NEJ buses

Ashish Shelar, Guardian Minister for Suburban Mumbai, acknowledged that the 437 sq. km. the area in the city has problems that will not be solved in a short time. He said the BEST bus service, the city’s legacy, had suffered due to the previous Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray-led government’s decisions to reduce the fleet. The current administration has increased funding for the Transportation Administration and given the department more operational space, he said. Remapping of connectivity routes is underway and more than 1,000 new buses have been added to the BEST fleet, with the rest to be delivered within four years.

Mahendra Kalyankar outlined housing and redevelopment initiatives in the sprawling city. He said Mumbai is the only city in the world to provide 300 square feet rehabilitation houses for slum dwellers, with a target of building five million such houses by 2030, of which 2.97 million have already been delivered. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is working on 39 rehabilitation projects on its estates.

Rebuilding Dharavi

“Rehabilitation houses of 300 square feet are allowed only for slum dwellers in Mumbai. A standard not seen anywhere else in the world, not even in countries with large slum populations like Brazil. We have set a target of providing five million such houses by 2030. So far 2.97 lakh have been delivered 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 houses on their own rehabilitation projects and BMC is actively working on Mr. Kal’s projects39.”

On the Dharavi redevelopment project, Mr. Kalyankar said it would be a multi-modal project with metro connectivity and a skill development component. The BMC has taken up the beautification of the Mithi river and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) along with the SRA is developing a park at the Ramabai Ambedkar locality in Vikhroli using a cluster approach, he added.

Published – 22 May 2026 22:46 IST