Uran-Kharkopar second phase railway line inaugurated for passenger transport; Unveils Mega Projects in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a historic moment on Friday, January 12, as he inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). This engineering marvel, India's longest sea bridge, comes at a cost of ₹17,840 crore, showcasing a 21.8 km stretch connecting Sewri in Mumbai to Chirle in Raigad district.

The Atal Setu, comprising a six-lane bridge, boasts 16.5 km over the sea and 5.5 km on land, promising to significantly reduce travel time by approximately 45 minutes.

During his visit to Maharashtra, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for multiple ambitious projects exceeding ₹30,500 crore. Among these, projects worth over ₹12,700 crore were inaugurated in Navi Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flagged off the long-anticipated Uran-Kharkopar second phase railway line, marking the realization of a dream that has been nurtured by the Urankars for the past 50 years.

The ambitious Nerul-Uran project, executed in collaboration between CIDCO and Madhya Railway at a cost of Rs. 1782 crores, spans a length of 27 km. The first phase of the project encompassing 11 stations, including Nerul, Seawood, Sagar Sangam, Belapur, Targhar, Bamandongari, and Kharkopar, has now become operational for a distance of 12.5 km.

Overcoming various obstacles that hindered progress in the second phase, spanning 14.3 km between Dronagiri and Uran stations, the railway line is now fully operational, officially opening its doors to passenger traffic.

Railway officials were bustling with activity at Uran station on Friday morning, ensuring all arrangements were in place for the historic moment. At 5:40 PM, Prime Minister Narendra Modi waved the green flag, symbolizing the commencement of passenger services on the Uran-Kharkopar route. The train embarked on its journey towards Nerul station, greeted by the enthusiastic cheers of the citizens of Uran station area, who had gathered to witness this momentous occasion.

As the train departed, railway employees expressed their joy by distributing sweets to the jubilant crowd. The event was attended by notable dignitaries, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and other ministers and local MLAs, who shared in the excitement of this historic moment.

Other key initiatives that were inaugurated by PM Modi include the Namo Mahila Shashaktikaran Abhiyaan for women's skill development in Maharashtra, a facilitation centre for the gems and jewellery sector at Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone in Mumbai, and the foundation stone for an underground road tunnel connecting Eastern Freeway's Orange Gate to Marine Drive in Mumbai.

In a public address after inaugurating the 27th National Youth Festival, PM Modi urged the youth to actively participate in the electoral process to counter the influence of dynastic politics. The day's events underscored the government's commitment to infrastructure development and empowering various sectors for the nation's progress.

PM Narendra Modi said, “Today, India’s eyes are on Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. India has received its longest sea bridge. We can go against the waves of the sea to achieve progress. I can never forget the day when I laid the foundation stone of this project on December 24, 2016. I am honoured that I was able to inaugurate this bridge. I am grateful to those workers who continuously worked on this bridge even during the COVID pandemic. Each project is important, each project is like a brick used to construct a building. This Atal Setu will help bring Pune and Goa closer to Mumbai. I thank Japan for their assistance. I fondly remember Shinzo Abe who helped in making this possible. I want to express my gratitude to Hiroshi Suzuki, who is the Japanese Ambassador to India. Atal Setu is the picture of developed India. This is a glimpse of what a developed India is going to be like.”

Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister of Maharashtra said, “Today is a dream come true. The bridge is ‘Vikas ka Mahamarg’.