In the wake of the recent train tragedy near Mumbra, the Maharashtra government has initiated a major step to enhance urban mobility across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) by forming a Task Force comprising commissioners from all municipal corporations within the MMR. The core mandate of this Task Force is to develop an Integrated Bus Transportation System aimed at unifying the currently fragmented municipal bus services into a seamless, single network.
About The Task Force
As per the notification issued by the government on 10th June, the General Manager of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) has been appointed as the Chairman of the Task Force, while the Head of Communication and Transport at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will serve as the Member Secretary.
The Task Force also includes high-ranking officials such as the Commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation, the Additional Commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the Additional Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, and the commissioners from the Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Ulhasnagar, and Panvel municipal corporations as members.
This initiative is part of a broader vision linked to the central government’s Growth Hub (G-HUB) framework proposed by NITI Aayog. Under this conceptual plan, certain urban areas are being developed as "Growth Hubs" with the aim of establishing economic growth corridors, particularly in forested and rapidly urbanizing regions. According to the state government notification issued on 10th June, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has been selected as the pilot site for this ambitious initiative, along with Surat (Gujarat), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh).
To fast-track implementation, the state government is preparing a comprehensive economic roadmap for the MMR, focusing on growth enablers such as improved infrastructure, mobilization of foreign direct investment, conservation of designated zones, startup support, and job creation. In line with this, a high-level coordinating committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary was established in September 2024 to review the Economic Master Plan for the region. Further oversight is being provided by the Growth Hub Governance Board, headed by the Chief Minister, which has been entrusted with authorizing the Master Plan and guiding its implementation.
"This integrated transport effort is expected to not only enhance passenger convenience across MMR but also reduce congestion, improve last-mile connectivity, and elevate the overall efficiency of public transit in one of India’s most densely populated urban agglomerations" said an official.
