Maharashtra govt scraps Rs16,000-cr sea-link projects, to build coastal roads instead
08 Apr 2015
The Maharashtra government has decided to scrap three sea link projects worth Rs16,000-crore, planned to ease traffic congestion in Mumbai, and instead build coastal roads, amidst concerns over project viability and toll collection as also protests by fishing community and various NGOs.
At around Rs8,500-crore, the coastal road project will cost the government only half the total cost of the three sea-link projects.
The three projects - the Worli-Haji Ali sea link (Rs5,000 crore), Bandra-Versova sea link (Rs6,000 crore) and Nariman Point-Haji Ali Sea Link (Rs5,000 crore) - were proposed by the Congress-NCP government as part of Western Freeway Sea Link (WFSL) scheme.
The Devendra Fadnavis government now plans to build 35.6 km of coastal road connecting Nariman Point in south Mumbai and Kandivli in north Mumbai.
The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation will be the implementing agency for the Rs8,500-crore coastal road project. The government is awaiting environment clearance from the centre and relaxations in coastal regulation zones. The state government expects to make a formal announcement in this regard soon.
Once completed, the coastal road connecting Nariman Point and Kandivali will reduce travel time between the two points to 45 minutes from the two hours it takes now.
The plan is to ultimately build ring roads around Mumbai with coastal roads on either side. The Western Freeway will eventually be connected to Eastern Freeway near CST, which in turn will be extended to Ghodbunder Road in Thane. However, no time-frame has been set for the project.