Thane/UNI: Maharashtra State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Navi Mumbai has made a significant contribution to the growth engine of Maharashtra, and projects such as Metro and Navi Mumbai International Airport, among others, that are being built in this area through CIDCO will be a 'game changer'.

Shinde was speaking at the time when various development projects of CIDCO costing around Rs 5000 crore were inaugurated and ground-breaking by him through the television system from 'Varsha' residence last evening.

The Bhumipujan of the bridge connecting the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Kharghar-Turbhe Link Road, and the Ulve Coastal Road, as well as the Bhumiputra Bhawan and the Passenger Water Terminal Nerul, a civil interest project, were inaugurated on this occasion.

Guardian Minister Shambhuraj Desai, Sports and Ports Minister Sanjay Bansode, MLA Ramesh Patil, Ganesh Naik, Prashant Thakur, Mahesh Baldi, and Manda Mhatre, former MP Sanjeev Naik, CIDCO Vice Chairman and Managing Director Vijay Singhal, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, and other senior officers were present.

Development works are being done well in Navi Mumbai through CIDCO, and growth centres in Navi Mumbai are the horsepower of the state, he said.

The Maharashtra government has emphasised enhancing connectivity in the Mumbai metropolitan region through projects like Atal Setu. Stating that CIDCO has also undertaken various transport projects by contributing to this goal of the government, Shinde.