Swatantryaveer Savarkar Sagari Setu will be the name of the Versova Bandra Sea Link, while Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Shivdi-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu would be the name of the MTHL.
Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, declared on Wednesday that the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and the forthcoming Versova-Bandra Sea Link in the financial hub of Mumbai would be named after Hindutva leader V D Savarkar and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, respectively.Mumbai: Water link Bandra-Versova.(Live from Mumbai) The Versova Bandra Sea Link will be known as Swatantryaveer Savarkar Sagari Setu, and the MTHL will be known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Shivdi-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu.
Maharashtra’s chief minister, Eknath Shinde, announced on Wednesday that the Hindutva leader V D Savarkar and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be honored with the names of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and the upcoming Versova-Bandra Sea Link in Mumbai’s financial district, respectively.Bandra-Versova water link in Mumbai.(In real time from Mumbai)
As part of the coastal road project, the eight-lane sea bridge would link the 5.6-km-long Bandra-Worli Sea Link, also known as the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, to Versova, a neighbourhood in the Andheri region.
The 17,17 kilometer long sea link, which is being built at a cost of ₹11,332 crore, consists of a 9.6 km long bridge and a 7.57 km long connecting road. The chief minister’s office (CMO) released a statement stating that the bridge will be finished by December 2026.
The metro city’s traffic congestion will be lessened thanks to the eight-lane sea link, especially during rush hour. With a total length of 16.5 kilometers above the water, it is being advertised as the longest sea bridge in the nation. By reducing traffic, it is anticipated to significantly ease commuters’ suffering in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area and foster economic growth. It will make it possible for passengers to get from Chirle in Navi Mumbai to Sewri in central Mumbai in 15 to 20 minutes.
Reports state that the bridge is 95% finished and scheduled to open in December 2023. Some websites rebranded:
The Shinde government has implemented several policies in the past year, including renaming the bridge in Savarkar’s honor. In honor of Maratha queen Ahilya Devi Holkar, Ahmednagar has been called Ahilyanagar. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji, inspired the renaming of Aurangabad. In a similar vein, Dharashiv replaced Osmanabad. The Versova Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) project, which has experienced significant delays, is expected to get a request for an extended deadline from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
Only 12% of the work has been finished thus far, according to an official, which has led contractors to request more time. The representative announced that the state will review a proposal for a new deadline. December 2026 is the current deadline for project completion.
The VBSL project is for building a sea link bridge with toll facilities that connects Bandra, on the south side, to Versova, on the north side, near Nana Nani Park. Intermediate connectors will be built at Juhu Koliwada and Otter’s Club. Due to delays and problems with contracts, the project that was first given to the Reliance Infra and Astaldi consortium in September 2018 was renegotiated. Apco Infratech and WeBuild took over operation of the sea link building project in January 2022.
In addition, the requirement for a casting yard caused the project to be delayed. The Versova casting yard was initially suggested by the MSRDC. Environmentalists, however, objected to it, and the matter was taken to court. Afterwards, the company rented a piece of Malad property.
To speed up project development, the MSRDC gave the contractor access to additional land in Bandra that it had reclaimed in August 2022, directly across from its headquarters, for use as a casting yard.
