Ahead of state polls, Modi launches 3 more metro lines in Mumbai

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said we will not achieve the aim of doubling the economy to USD 5 trillion if our cities do not have 21st century infrastructure.

This will involve creating systems to address the concerns on mobility, connectivity, productivity, sustainability and safety, Modi told a public gathering in the city where he launched three more metro lines, taking the number of planned metro corridors to 14 extending 337 km.

It can be noted that the prime minister has set a target of doubling the economy to USD 5 trillion by FY25, and there are frequent episodes exposing the inabilities of the cities to cope with various challenges.

"When the country is moving to achieve the USD 5 trillion economy aim, we will have to create cities in sync with the 21st century world," Modi said.

In the comments that come amid falling growth rates that has slowed to a six-year low in the June quarter, Modi said his government will be spending Rs 100 lakh crore on infrastructure alone over the next five years.

He said during his first stint, the government had cleared 600 km of metro lines and 400 km of the existing 675 km lines got operationalised between 2014 and now.

He said, Mumbai's metro network, which currently is a paltry 11 km, will go up to 325 km by FY24.

These metro lines will create 10,000 jobs for engineers and 40,000 for skilled/unskilled people, he claimed.

Stating that change in infrastructure is slowly becoming visible in Mumbai and elsewhere, Modi said a few years ago, nobody would have imagined that mega projects touching the city including the bullet train, trans harbour link and a new airport are shaping up.

The visit comes weeks ahead before Maharashtra goes to polls soon. Mumbai, which has among the densest cities in the world, sends as many as 38 of the 288 members to the Assembly.

Modi remotely laid the foundation stones for three metro lines which will add 42 km to the overall 337-km plan.