Rs 12,741 cr – Cost allocated for construction of sea-bridge between city and Navi Mumbai
Almost 40 years after proposing, construction on sea-bridge between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai takes off. While it took China nearly 10 years for constructing world's longest sea-link measuring of around 55-km connecting Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai, Maharashtra government took almost four decades to just construction work on 22-km-long sea-link also known as Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) between Sewri and Nhava-Sheva in Navi Mumbai.
The 22-km-long MTHL is also a perfect example of cost overruns wherein its cost increased by more than 400 percent after it was conceptualized in the 1980's. Lack of environmental clearances along with lack of political will are touted to be one of the major reason behind the delay of this sea-link that is said to be one of the longest sea-link in the world.
However, China started construction of 55-km-long sea-link that is world's longest sea-link in December 2009 followed by making it open for traffic just as recent as last month. But further not comparing India and China, several former state government officials argue that it was not only lack of environmental clearance but the political class also feared of constructing a ghost bridge with no users. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had in 2016 said that it has scrapped the plans to have Metro network run on the bridge citing low ridership and fear of making road-bridge financially nonviable considering it will be tolled for almost around 23 years,
However, after several delays the construction work in form of geotechnical work started earlier this year, and the construction for the sea-bridge is expected to be somewhere around Rs 20,000 crore for which the Japanese International Cooperation Agency is the funding agency.
As per work progress shared by MMRDA, MTHL construction work began this March, is being implemented in 3 civil construction packages. While Package-1, which involves the construction of 10.380 km long bridge section is showing 12.28% progress, package-2 involving the construction of 7.807 km long bridge section is showing 5.37% progress followed by package-3 involving the construction of 3.613 km long viaduct has recorded 5.4% progress.
COAST COMES AT A COST
Coastal Road Project
The Rs 12,000-crore ambitious Coastal Road project, aimed at easing traffic between the island city and western suburbs was originally proposed in 2010 between Princess Street flyover and Kandivali. However, it got stuck due to a political fight. Initially, the cost of the project was estimated around Rs 6,000 crore. However, over the period due to the rise in construction cost, it escalated to Rs 12,741 crore. At first, the BMC standing committee holds back the project over cost escalation. But, finally, it approved September 25. At present, only land reclamation work is going on.
Bandra-Versova Sea-Link
The construction was proposed around 10 years ago but later was scrapped in 2015 citing coastal road is being constructed and it would result in doubling the two. However, in 2016, it was brought back into the picture by scrapping construction of coastal road between Bandra and Versova citing protest from residents in order to save Juhu beach. The preliminary construction work started a month ago and the overall cost is pegged at around Rs 12,000 crore. And recently, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) started carrying out feasibility studies for extending Bandra-Versova Sea-Link till Virar by another 40-km, and further cancelling construction of coastal road between Versova and Kandivali.
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