The Union Finance Ministry has sanctioned viability gap funding of Rs 1,920 crore for the Mumbai trans-harbour link, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has said. The project, estimated to cost Rs 9,630 crore, will be implemented on public-private partnership mode. The construction period will be for five years.
The 22-km sea bridge is planned from the seafront at Sewri to Chirle, connecting NH-4B. The bridge is also expected to boost the Raigad and surrounding areasÂ’ economy. The project had been recommended for CRZ clearance in September last year by the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Environment Ministry.
The pre-qualification process for the link has been completed. Five consortia – Cintra –Soma- Srei, Gammon–OHL Concessions–G.S. Engineering, GMR–L&T –Samsung and IRB–Hyundai and Tata Realty and Infrastructure-Autostrade–Vinci Concessions — have been short-listed by MMRDA. The link is expected to carry over 62,000 passenger car units a day in 2019.
An annual growth of about five per cent of traffic is estimated. MMRDA has also undertaken a few additional corridors to facilitate traffic dispersal. The 17 km Eastern Freeway which runs from Orange Gate to Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road is a key link for effective dispersal of traffic.
This Freeway is likely to be completed in May 2013. The 4.25 km Sewri-Worli (East-West) elevated connector running from Sewri Railway station to Annie Besant Road (Worli) will provide east connectivity at the Sewri interchange of the link.
MMRDA said the detailed project report for the elevated connector is nearing completion. A third major connector for traffic dispersal is the Chirle-NH17-Mumbai-Pune Expressway Connector. The feasibility study for this connectivity is also under way.
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