Addressing the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Fadnavis said there will be no increase in ticket prices despite the upgrade. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected to make a formal announcement on the upgrade soon, he added.
The move is aimed at making daily commutes more comfortable and safe for passengers.
He added that the underground Colaba-BKC-Aarey Metro 3 is expected to be fully operational by October, and the Navi Mumbai international airport will be ready by the end of September.
He said, “The development of Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) is underway. Work on Vadhavan Port is also going on at a fast rate. Vadhavan Port, which will be among the top 10 ports in the world, will give new maritime strength to Mumbai and Maharashtra.”
“We are also creating an Education City in Navi Mumbai, where the total education expenses will be 25% of those of abroad studies. We expect 10 foreign universities to come here; five renowned universities have already signed agreements,” he added.
The new coaches will be fully air-conditioned with automatic doors. Fadnavis further mentioned the June 9 Mumbra train tragedy and said that Mumbaikars now have two classes of train commute – the fully AC Metro with closed doors and overcrowded suburban trains with open doors.
He requested PM Modi and Railway Minister Vaishnaw to introduce Metro-like coaches with closed doors and AC in local trains without increasing fares.
Dismissing allegations of a ‘honeytrap’ racket targeting state officials, he said there was no evidence and Patole had failed to uncover anything. “There is no honey or trap,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
He also reported a 6.75% decrease in the crime rate statewide and 11% in Nagpur as compared to the previous years.
Detection of cybercrime cases has increased to 16%, he said. The chief minister also talked about rape cases against women and the way the government was handling them.
“Shockingly, in 99.5% of rape cases, the accused was an acquaintance or relative of the victim. More than 2,000 accused have been arrested in drug cases, and provisions have been made to impose MCOCA on drug peddlers. Thirteen policemen have been dismissed. The new laws provide for completing investigations within 90 days and giving importance to forensic evidence,” he added.
