Maharashtra government has decided to take a Chinese firm's help to construct the ambitious 22.5km transharbour link project, estimated to cost over Rs11,000 crore–connecting Nava Seva to Sewri.
Maharashtra government has decided to take a Chinese firm's help to construct the ambitious 22.5km transharbour link project, estimated to cost over Rs11,000 crore–connecting Nava Seva to Sewri.
On Wednesday, Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that during his recent China tour he met Mayor Zhang Xinqi in Quingdao city, Shandong Province. "It was a very fruitful discussion. They were ready to exchange the trans-harbour link technology. The Chinese firm has already constructed a 42 km sea link within 3.5 years there. They are ready to undertake the Mumbai trans-harbour link and are also willing to finance this project with a minimal interest of 2%. We hope that with their help, we will able to construct this project which will reduce the distance between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai," Fadnavis said.
The project, as proposed by the government, will be a 22.5km long, 6-lane bridge, connecting Sewri on the island city to Nhava-Sheva on the mainland. The sea link will measure 16.5km, while the viaducts on land will be 5.5km long. This link with a 6 lane carriageway, will have interchanges at Sewri in Mumbai and near Chirle village at NH-4B. "We have been trying to develop this link for the last 20 years but there have been no takers for this project even though we offered to do the viability gap funding (VGF). The central government has also decided to grant a 20% VGF," said a senior government official.
He said if CM Fadnavis succeeds in getting the Chinese firm, it will be a boon for Navi Mumbai. "It will decongest the Mumbai traffic. The commute by road will be shortened to 30 minutes. It will also help save fuel and vehicle operating costs. People from Mumbai will also get faster access to the proposed International Airport in Navi Mumbai. It is an important infrastructure. I hope this project will be revived by putting it on the right track," a Mantralaya official added.
Interestingly, the Central Ministry of Environment and Forest had granted Coastal Road Zone (CRZ) clearance to the project in July 2013.
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