The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is accelerating work on the ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road North project, also known as the Versova-Bhayandar Link Road, which is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two suburbs.
The nearly 60-km project, estimated to cost around Rs 22,000 crore, is targeted for completion by December 2028, with March 2029 set as the outer deadline. Once operational, the corridor is expected to bring down the current 90-120 minute journey between Versova and Bhayandar to around 15-20 minutes.
The project will create a continuous coastal connectivity network by linking the Mumbai Coastal Road South with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the upcoming Bandra-Versova Sea Link. Officials expect the corridor to ease congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and provide smoother connectivity between South Mumbai and Bhayandar.
Seven packages for major infrastructure
The project has been divided into seven packages — A, B, C, D, E, F and the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road. The planned infrastructure includes double elevated roads, roads constructed on stilts through mangrove stretches, two cable-stayed bridges, four basket bridges, twin tunnels and 10 interchanges.
Packages C and D involve twin tunnels extending for 3.9 km between Mindspace in Malad and Charkop Creek. A 65-metre by 40-metre shaft is being developed at Charkop for tunnel construction, with piling work already underway.
Spare parts for the first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) are expected in December 2026, after which excavation will commence. Assembly of the second TBM is scheduled to be completed by June 2027, followed by excavation of the second tunnel.
BMC reviews project progress
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar, accompanied by civic officials and consultants, inspected the project on Wednesday. He directed agencies to maintain construction quality and adhere to the project schedule.
The BMC received Stage-II approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in July for diversion of 103.6554 hectares of forest and mangrove land, enabling construction and related activities to progress faster.
Mangrove compensation
As part of environmental mitigation measures, compensatory plantation of 1.37 lakh mangroves is planned across 255 hectares. Plantation work has already started on 31 hectares in Bhayandar, while work on 244 hectares in Palghar is expected to begin shortly.
The project is expected to transform coastal connectivity and provide a faster alternative route between Mumbai and the northern suburbs once completed.
Source: The Free Press Journal
