Mumbai: Extension Of Versova-Virar Sea Link To Palghar Likely; MMRDA To Conduct Pre-Feasibility Study For The New Additions

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to extend the Versova-Virar sea link to Palghar, which was initially intended to terminate at Virar.

As a result of the new adjustments to be made for the proposed extension of the sea link, the MMRDA will undertake a pre-feasibility study of the extended portion, as per an Indian Express report.

An official stated that an access-controlled sea link will be constructed by the authority.

The responsibility for the construction of the 43-kilometre-long Versova-Virar sea link project was transferred to MMRDA in October 2022.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) had previously been the nodal agency in charge of this sea link project.

Further, according to the IE report, the cost of the sea link project has risen by Rs 8,000 crore, and the revised cost is now Rs 40,000 crore — up from the earlier estimated cost of Rs 32,000 crore.

The increase in project cost is attributed to several factors, including the appointment of a consultant to study the access control road, and a dedicated consultant to conduct a peer review.

The Versova-Virar sea link is planned as an extension of the Bandra-Versova sea link towards the north.

Based on the pre-feasibility study, the sea link is expected to have connections at Charkop, Uttan, Vasai, and Virar.

The primary objective of this project is to alleviate traffic congestion on the Western Express Highway (WEH) as well as on internal roads such as S V Road and Link Road.

The MSRDC is constructing the 17-km Bandra-Versova sea link, which will connect with the existing Bandra-Worli sea link and, in turn, link with the under-construction coastal freeway.

Once all the links are completed, the project is expected to reduce the current three-hour drive, from Nariman Point in south Mumbai to Virar, to only one hour.