Attention, Mumbaikars! Soon, You Will Be Able To Travel Between Nariman Point-Virar In 1 Hour

In a latest development, it has come to light that Mumbaikars is likely to get Versova-Virar sea link.

Recently in its 153rd authority meeting in the city, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to construct the 43-km-long Versova-Virar Sea Link. It is said that this will help decongest the Western Express Highway (WEH) as well as internal arterial roads such as S V Road and Link Road.

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that this decision came at a time when work on various sea link projects is already underway, including the 22km Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, the Versova-Bandra sea link and the coastal road.

In the meeting, it was also decided to prepare a detailed project report for various road-related projects in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai to improve the traffic situation.

As per reports, with the coastal road, the Bandra-Worli sea link, the Bandra-Versova sea link and the Versova-Virar extension, the 71-odd km road travel between Nariman Point and Virar will reduce from the current three hours to one hour. Besides, one-way toll for a car for travel from Versova to Virar is likely to be around INR 1,000 in 2026.

According to the pre-feasibility study, the sea link is proposed to be built with connectors at Charkop, Uttan, Vasai and Virar. The 4+4 lane main bridge will connect Versova and Virar with 3+3 lane connectors at these four locations. The link will have the capacity for 60,000 vehicles per day when it is expected to be ready.

To avoid complexities such as heavy damage to coastal environment and human habitation during or after its construction, MSRDC, the state infrastructure arm, had planned to extend the upcoming Bandra-Versova sea link till Virar, via Charkop and Vasai, from a kilometre into the sea, instead of building it along the coast. The link’s “pure construction” cost is pegged at Rs 21,000 crore.

For those unversed, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari in July had offered to build the Versova-Vasai-Virar coastal link as part of the ongoing INR 1 lakh crore Delhi-Mumbai expressway project.