TIME-BOUND

SVR Srinivas, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary and Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, is pushing boundaries when it comes to accomplishing intricate and delicate projects to give Mumbaikars a new lifeline

- JAYASHREE KINI MENDES

SVR Srinivas, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary and Met-ropolitan Commissioner, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), is not a man who minces words. The proficient and urbane bureaucrat, who has long-standing experience working closely with the state government’s multicrore projects, stays strongly focussed considering he’s leading some of the highly complex and colossal projects that MMR is seeing. In his second stint with MMRDA, the competent Metropolitan Commissioner is overseeing the ongoing and partly completed Mumbai Metro and the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link project, besides various other projects that fall under its ambit.

What is unique is the determination with which he works. He is resolved to complete as many projects that can be completed within this year’s timeline. He has even coined a term saying that 2023 is the Year of Completion for MMRDA.

MMRDA has given a New Year gift to Mumbai residents in the form of first Metro network in Mumbai! The city of dreams has been a late entrant into metro biz. The long-awaited Mumbai Metro lines 2A & 7 have been just completed by MMRDA & dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister last week. These 35 km lines connect north-south to east-west. Read on.

MMRDA has plenty of milestones to its credit. How are you taking forward the legacy?

Srinivas: The legacy is an institutional and a team one. We can't rest on our laurels because a lot of work is still ongoing. Many projects are still in the planning stage - be it town or regional planning, not to forget projects other than transportation like drinking water and urban planning.