Mumbai Infra Watch: Versova-Virar Sea Link A Step Closer As MMRDA Invites Bids For Geotechnical Investigation

In a push to the implementation of the proposed Versova-Virar Sea Link project (VVSLP), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has invited tenders for conducting detailed geotechnical investigation.

As part of the survey, boreholes will be drilled at five different location — Versova, Charkop, Uttan, Vasai and Virar.

Geotechnical investigations are performed to obtain data about the subsurface soil and rock conditions of the proposed development site. It helps to understand the foundation requirements for the construction of any new infrastructures. These investigations are essential for design and structural engineers to recommend design criteria for the construction and design approach for each project.

Project

The Versova-Virar sea link — a 43-km elevated road — will connect Versova, a western suburb of Mumbai, to the fast-growing, dense residential hub of Virar — Mumbai’s satellite town in the city’s larger urban agglomeration of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The project involves not only the construction of a 43 km road over the sea about 1 km off the coast of Mumbai, but also the construction of approximately 60 km of suburban roads, including connector roads and junctions (earthwork and elevated) in addition to the main road, which comes 101 km in total.

The Versova-Virar sea link was earlier to be built by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). However, the project was transferred to the MMRDA in October last year.

Connecting to Other Sea links

The Versova-Virar sea link will be an extension to the Versova Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) Project in the north, which is being built by the MSRDC.

The 17-km Versova-Bandra sea link comprises construction of a sea link bridge along the West coast of Mumbai from Bandra (on South side) at Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) to Versova at Nana Nani Park (on North side).

Once built, the sea bridge connecting Versova to Virar would form a “Garland expressway” (a ring road) to the Mumbai and the suburbs.

The Garland expressway would be formed by Eastern expressway, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Western Freeway Link, Bandra Worli Sea Link, Versova Bandra Sea Link and Versova-Virar sea link.

Costliest Sea Link

The Versova-Virar sea link has an estimated budget of Rs 63,426 crore and thus would be the city’s costliest sea link, with the estimated budget for the project having more than doubled in the five years since it was first conceived.

The project first conceptualised in 2018 was estimated to cost about Rs 30,000 crore. The revision in the cost is apparently on account of new additions of certain elements, such as some interchanges and tunnels.

Till now, the under-construction Sewri-Nhava Sheva Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) was touted to be Mumbai’s costliest sea link project which entails an amount of Rs 17,843 crore.

Compared to this, the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) — city’s first sea link- was built at a cost of Rs 1,634 crore. The BWSL connecting Worli and Bandra was opened to traffic in 2009.

Similarly, the cost for constructing Mumbai’s second sea-link, the Versova Bandra Sea Link, is set to rise to slightly over 60 per cent to Rs 11,332.81 crore by the time it is completed in 2023.

The MMRDA has planned to build the Versova-Virar sea link on the same financial model as the MTHL. The MTHL is being funded by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with guarantees from the state and the central governments.