Mumbai: Versova-Dahisar Link Road proposal worth Rs 25,413 cr cleared

High tide at Versova beach on July 9, 2023. The project comprises a 4.5-km-long elevated road from Versova to Bangur Nagar. Pic/Ashish Raje

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved a proposal worth Rs 25,413 crore for the Versova-Dahisar Link Road (VDLR). The civic body plans to kick off the project before October 2024.

The 18.47-km-long VDLR is part of a high-speed corridor to Palghar along the western coast of Mumbai and includes a 3.9-km tunnel between Mindspace in Malad West and Charkop in Kandivli. The project will be completed in six phases and the civic body aims to finish all the work in four years.

Civic chief I S Chahal cleared the proposal last week. "According to it, the project will be designed for a speed of 100 km per hour. But the speed of vehicles will be decided by traffic police after the work is complete," an official added. According to the proposal, the actual cost of construction is Rs 16,306 crore. But the Rs 25,413 crore includes Goods and Service Tax, cost of operation and maintenance and the rent for the casting yard. BMC will pay Rs 928 crore for renting the land for the casting yard.

"We have invited a tender to rent the land. If we can get it at a cheaper cost, it will save money," the official added.

"We will start the process of issuing work orders to contractors. After this, getting permission from various government authorities, mainly the environmental ministry, will start. This will take at least six months. We plan to start the work after the monsoon," the official said.

The state Assembly elections are likely to be held in October and sources claim the state government is willing to start this project before the poll.