Bandra-Versova Sea Link: Ambitious project, slow progress, business opportunities, and a lot more
The ambitious Bandra-Versova Sea Link, or the Swatantraveer Savarkar Sagari Setu as it is renamed now, has come a long way since Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was appointed as the nodal agency for the project, and CES (I) Pvt conducted a feasibility study. Ltd in 2007-2008.
However, the work on the project has yet to pick up the pace. As per a report in the Business Standard, the project, which has a completion deadline of 2026-27, has seen a huge cost overrun of over Rs 4,300 crore in the last four years. The original cost of the project was Rs 4,045 crore, which now stands at Rs 11,333 crore (as of 2023)
The project was expected to be completed by 2023 but has been mired in legal tangles as certain parties have challenged the environmental clearance granted to the project.
Project Details?
The 8-lane Bandra-Versova Sea Link is an ambitious coastal road project that starts from the Bandra end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and ends at Versova.?
Key elements of the bridge structure include:
One main viaduct
It provides interchanges with Carter Road and Juhu, providing a total of 4 entry/exit points. The main sea link bridge is 9.60 km (5.97 mi) in length, with four lanes in each direction.
Bandra connector is 1.17 km in length with two lanes in each direction, while the Versova connector is 1.80 km in length with three lanes in each direction.
Carter Road connector is 1.80 km in length and has three lanes in each direction.
The Juhu Koliwada connector is 2.80 km in length and has two lanes in each direction.
The entire project length, including the connecting points, is a 17.17-kilometer bridge. The entire project is a part of the Mumbai Coastal Highway Project phase 2. It is expected to reduce congestion on the Western Express Highway and the Western Line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It is expected to cut down commute time from over 90 minutes to 10 minutes.?
Main Players and Project Execution?
Engineering and consultation for the project are done by Dar Al-Handasah Consultants. The construction is to be done by a joint venture (JV) of APCO Infratech and Webuild. In the JV named M/s. Webuild-Apco, APCO has a majority share of 70% while Webuild has 30% stakes.?
Earlier in 2018, Reliance Infrastructure, in collaboration with Italian construction company Astaldi, was awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract of the project, which was then worth Rs 6,993.99 crore. Louis Berger Group was appointed to design three connecting roads to link the Versova–Bandra Sea Link with key roads near its entry and exit points.
The delays and the cases related to coastal zone regulation violations, followed by the halting of the work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saw Reliance exit the project. A penalty of Rs 3.5 crore per day was imposed on Reliance Infrastructure from 1 September 2021. As a result, in January 2022, Reliance exited the project by selling its shares to Astaldi's subsidiary, Webuild.
After the exit of Reliance, which is a reliable and renowned name in delivering high-value projects, Webuild decided to appoint Gurugram-based APCO Infratech as its new partner. The APCO and Webuild joint venture is the implementation firm as of now (October 2023). As of 2021, only 2.07% of the work on the project has been completed.?
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Environmental Clearance??
The project received environmental clearance, under certain conditions, from the Ministry of Environment and Forests in January 2013. Marine Impact Assessment Studies for the project was carried out by the Life Sciences Department, University of Mumbai, through Fine Envirotech Engineers.
The Environmental Clearance was given to the project on certain specific conditions, some of which include:
In the mangrove area, only roads on stilt shall be constructed. There would be a permanent loss of about 150 sqm of mangroves and 50 sqm of temporary loss during construction in the Versova and Carter connector. As per the CRZ notification, 2011, at least five times the number of mangroves destroyed/cut during the construction process shall be replanted.
There shall be no dredging and reclamation for the project.
There shall be no disposal of solid or liquid wastes in coastal areas. Solid waste Management shall be as per Municipal Solid (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.
The project proponent shall set up a separate environmental management cell for the effective implementation of the stipulated environmental safeguards under the supervision of a Senior Executive.
As per a recent report by Hindustan Times, the project is likely to impact artisanal fishing activities at six locations in Mumbai's western suburbs, including the prominent koliwada at Khar Danda and Vesave, and other smaller settlements at Kadeshwari Mandir (near Bandra fort), Chimbai village off Hill Road, Juhi Koliwada (in Santacruz) and Mora Gaon in Juhu.
In March this year, the Supreme Court of India held the ongoing proceedings before the National Green Tribunal about the challenge to the grant of environmental clearance (EC) to the project. Supreme court's bench referred to the legal doctrine of constructive "res judicata" and said the same issue could not be raised again as it may lead to a situation where no public project will be allowed to proceed.
So, as of now, the project has all the necessary clearance, and the work on it is progressing with halts during the monsoon season as the Maharashtra Maritime Board prohibits work in the sea during monsoon due to the potential safety risk for workers.
Business opportunities?
The project has good opportunities for firms in highway and bridge maintenance. As per official updates:
The main sea link bridge would have a 24-lane toll plaza
Versova connector would have an 18-lane toll plaza
Juhu Koliwada connector would house a 12-lane toll plaza
Apart from the maintenance work, the project would boost opportunities for the logistics and e-commerce sector as the smooth movement would cut the delivery time.?
There is good potential for the thriving of the logistics and warehousing sector around Mumbai, which is now extended outwards to Bhiwandi and Thane.?
Consultants and architects have a huge role to play as the bridge starts to pick up pace. We can expect tenders to be floated in this regard by the nodal agency in the coming times.?
In the supply and procurement sector, there would be good demand for construction materials and machinery, and the firms in this sector will look to garner business as the tenders in this regard are expected in the future.?
It's still a long way before the project actually gets going, and we will keep track of that, bringing you the latest insights. For daily updates on this project and other major projects, do visit Biginfo.