Maharashtra civic elections 2026: Devendra Fadnavis pledges to ease traffic, fast-track Metro projects in Thane, MMR

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has shared a comprehensive action plan for Thane and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region MMR pledging to ease traffic congestion and complete key Metro projects within five years reported news agency PTIConnectivityfocused vision for Thane and MMRSpeaking at a chat show in Thane on Wednesday night as part of the Bharatiya Janata Partys BJP campaign for the Thane Municipal Corporation polls scheduled on January 15 Fadnavis outlined a future defined by seamless connectivity and sustainable infrastructure reported PTIGovernment commitment to easing traffic congestionFadnavis expressed his governments commitment to resolving the traffic congestion that plagues the Mumbai Metropolitan Region MMRHe said the government aims to complete all major Metro works by 2030Coastal Road to be linked as traffic diversion ringThere are plans to link the Coastal Road into a ring to divert heavy traffic outside the city limits he saidTo address the bottleneck on Thanes arterial Ghodbunder Road the CM announced the development of a growth hub at KolshetDiva which will feature water taxi services reported PTIWater scarcity to end within three years CMAddressing one of the regions most persistent problems Fadnavis assured residents that water shortage would be a thing of the past within three yearsHe said work on the Poshir and Pelhar dams is slated for completion in the next 36 monthsGargai project clears hurdles to add 500 MLD waterThe longstalled Gargai project has cleared environmental hurdles after successful negotiations with five villages regarding their voluntary migration This will provide an additional 500 MLD of water to the region the CM said reported PTIFadnavis also said that once the Kalu Dam at Murbad in Thane district is fully operational water issues of the entire MMR will be permanently resolvedShift from dumping grounds to biominingFollowing Prime Minister Narendra Modis national vision the CM stated that all traditional dumping would ceaseWithin the next three to four years biomining projects will replace dumping grounds to process solid waste he saidIncubation centre planned to boost innovationThane will also have a specialised incubation centre to foster innovation and growth in the region he addedOn the alliance for polls the CM acknowledged that many BJP workers initially wished to contest the elections independently However he justified the alliance with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena in Thane reported PTISeatsharing aimed at alliance strengthEknath Shinde is a prominent leader and Thane is the centre of his political identity It was not right to hurt our ally on his home turf We decided to accept fewer seats to maintain the strength of the alliance he said reported PTIOut of the total 131 seats in the TMC the Shiv Sena is contesting 87 and the BJP 40Swipe at rivals over political brandingIn a swipe at political rivals Fadnavis said that while Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray was the ldquoonly true brandrdquo in Maharashtra anyone else attempting to project themselves as one would be overwhelmed by the strength of the ruling MahayutiAppeal for servicefirst governanceNoting that some former corporators consider themselves owners of their wards he appealed to endorse the servicefirst attitude focusing on futureoriented development rather than territorial controlWith inputs from PTI