August 5, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to strengthen its Bridges Department with the proposed deployment of nearly 200 additional engineers to supervise the ambitious Versova–Dahisar Link Road (VDLR) project. This move comes as the department faces mounting pressure from multiple large-scale works, including the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR), the Madh–Versova bridge, and several bridge reconstructions. The proposal awaits administrative approval from Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani.
Accelerated under state government directives, Phase II of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) will feature the 20-km VDLR for Rs 16,621 crore, aimed at easing traffic congestion in the city’s western corridor. Additionally, a 5.6-km, 45 m–wide Dahisar–Bhayandar elevated road, worth ₹3,304 crore, will commence in August 2025 and is expected to be completed by December 2028. With environmental clearance secured last year, civil work is scheduled to begin next month, promising to cut travel time from 90–120 minutes to just 15–20 minutes while reducing carbon emissions by 55% through fuel savings.
“To ensure efficient implementation of MCRP Phase II, engineers from the roads, sewerage, and water supply departments will be assigned to the project. They will be responsible for contractor supervision, daily progress tracking, and handling technical matters. This personnel pool will also support other upcoming infrastructure projects,” said a senior civic official.
Phase II will feature underground tunnels, a cable-stayed bridge, and vehicular interchanges to improve north–south connectivity, with links to the GMLR enhancing east–west movement. Civil work will begin in early September, including machinery mobilisation and casting yard preparation, while tunnel boring between Mindspace (Malad) and Charkop is set to start next year.
Source: The Free Press Journal
