Maharashtra looking to collaborate with Shanghai, St. Petersburg to solve infra, housing issues

MUMBAI: The government of Maharashtra is looking to collaborate with global cities including China’s Shanghai and Russia’s St. Petersburg to resolve its infrastructure and housing issues, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"Mumbai is struggling with infrastructure and affordable housing issues. We are keen to learn from experiences of global cities. There’s lot to learn from these cities including Shanghai’s affordable housing model and St. Petersburg’s water transport," Fadnavis said at the concluding session of the BRICS Friendship Cities Conclave 2016 in Mumbai.

The state government is looking to collaborate and seek St. Petersburg’s expertise on making Mumbai’s Mithi River navigable.

Separately, Fadnavis also added that the government has sought a report from the Aurangabad Divisional Commissioner on water supply and requirement of water for breweries there. The state government will consider action based on this report in the next 3-4 days, he said.

He was responding to queries regarding Shiv Sena’s demand that the government should stop water supply to beer manufacturing units in the drought-hit Marathwada region in order to tackle shortage of drinking water.