Maharashtra approves Rs 17,224 mn road linking VBSL to Savarkar Bridge

06 Jul 2026 CW Team

The Maharashtra cabinet infrastructure sub-committee has approved a Rs 17,224 mn project to build a three point five five km road linking the Bandra Fort end of the under-construction Versova-Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) with the Savarkar Sea Bridge. The connector is intended to provide a direct route between south Mumbai and the western suburbs.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will implement the scheme after a committee of secretaries led by the Chief Secretary approved the proposal on 17 June and the infrastructure sub-committee chaired by the Chief Minister gave administrative sanction. Officials described the move as part of a wider effort to enhance metropolitan transport links.

The project cost is Rs 17,224 mn, with Rs 11,837.9 mn earmarked for civil construction and the remainder for GST, land acquisition, rehabilitation and other expenses. Around forty hutments are expected to be affected and Rs 500 mn has been set aside for rehabilitation and compensation. Rs 200 mn has been allocated for compensation to the fishing community and a further Rs 200 mn for environmental mitigation. The road is designed to handle about 3,500 passenger cars each hour.

Authorities expect substantial reductions in journey times, with travel between Worli and Fort forecast to fall from up to 45 minutes to between five and 10 minutes at peak. Travel from Fort to Versova is expected to shorten from about one hour to approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

The connector complements the coastal transport network and the VBSL, the revised cost of which stands at Rs 181.2096 bn. Construction of the VBSL had recorded 31 per cent physical progress as of May 2026 against a scheduled 35.84 per cent, and the state continues to target completion by May 2028. Officials said the link will improve traffic distribution across the metropolitan region.

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