Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 22 (ANI): Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Friday said the focus of infrastructure development in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is now shifting towards decentralising Mumbai by creating jobs, transport connectivity and housing opportunities in peripheral cities such as Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar and Navi Mumbai.

During a panel discussion at the Maharashtra Infrastructure Conclave, Shinde said the MMR region is expected to play a major role in India's goal of becoming a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047 and added that the government is working on a 'holistic plan' to support rapid urban expansion across the region.

'As you see, we are kind of decentralizing Mumbai. We are taking data centres, jobs, which are now accumulated at one place, say South Mumbai,' Shinde said.

He said major infrastructure projects including the Vadhavan Port project, metro expansion, coastal roads, tunnels, logistics hubs and access-controlled roads are being developed to reduce pressure on Mumbai city while creating economic growth centres in surrounding regions.

Referring to transport infrastructure, the Shiv Sena MP said the MMR region is witnessing rapid expansion of metro connectivity and multimodal transport systems.

'The metro which is 377 kilometres of metro which is going on in Mumbai MMR, it is the largest network in itself in the world which is going on at one time,' he said.

Shinde said his constituency alone is connected to multiple metro corridors including Lines 5, 12 and 14, while water transport projects under the National Waterways initiative are also progressing.

'We are coming up with the water transport. In coming time, people can commute from Kalyan in water transport, water taxi to Mumbai, Vasai,' he said.

Highlighting regional integration, Shinde said municipal corporations including Kalyan-Dombivli, Ambernath and Ulhasnagar are now working together under a unified transport approach.

'It is a woven structure and a unified plan where these bus services can go from Mumbai right way to Ambernath, Thane, Kalyan,' he said.

The Shiv Sena MP also said the government is focusing on creating employment opportunities in peripheral cities through data centres, logistics parks, MIDC expansion and skill development centres.

'My constituency person used to travel every day to South Mumbai for jobs because all the jobs are situated in South Mumbai. But now we are coming up with the data centres, logistics centres and skilled development centres,' he said.

On housing and urban planning, speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the conclave, Shinde said the cluster development scheme is aimed at ensuring inclusive growth across urban areas.

'The cluster scheme ensures inclusive growth, giving the same facilities to the poor as to the rich,' he said, adding that the scheme, which began in Thane, has now expanded to 19 clusters in Mumbai along with projects in Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath and Ulhasnagar.

Shinde further said agencies such as MMRDA, SRA, MHADA and CIDCO are now working in coordination instead of functioning independently, helping speed up decision-making and urban development across the MMR region. (ANI)