The Knowledge Corridor

For over one lakh people who use the Mumbai-Pune Expressway daily, their mobile calls or internet connectivity is set to improve within the next four months. With the steady growth of the ‘knowledge corridor’ along the Expressway, the MSRDC is planning to install special fibre optic cables and boosters over a 95-km-stretch. The knowledge corridor extends from Mahape in Navi Mumbai to Hinjewadi in Pune, and includes several educational institutions, IT companies and industries in its stretch. The MSRDC project promises to facilitate fast internet and mobile connectivity on laptops, palmtops, cellphones, etc and will be compatible with 3G and 4G technology. While some of the work is being undertaken by the MSRDC, IT firms have also been invited to submit bids and proposals.
Experts say that even after commuters leave the 95-km-stretch, they will still be able to enjoy the benefits of the boosters. “There are 10 cable ducts that will have fibre optic cables with a bandwidth of two terabytes. It is one the largest projects undertaken in the country, and will be completed by October,’’ said a senior Mantralaya official in the urban development department. The same facility will be extended up to the BARC area from Kalamboli and another project along similar lines will also come up between the Mulund and Turbhe section of Thane-Belapur Road via Airoli creek bridge and on Shil Phata road connecting Thane-Belapur Road and Kalyan-Dombivili. The total road length to be covered is over 136 km. The final leg of the project was set in motion on Thursday and IT companies interested in installing fibre optic cables in the remaining ducts and boosters have been invited to submit their bids. “With 3G services on the anvil, we expect companies in the field of IT and Telecom to install optical fibre cables. The fitting of boosters on poles along the Expressway has begun,’’ said the official. The work is being supervised by the MSRDC, which will be earning over Rs 35 crore by leasing cable ducts to interested IT firms.