The Maharashtra government has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Uttan–Virar Sea Link (UVSL), a major infrastructure project that will extend Mumbai’s coastal mobility network and complete the city’s envisioned ring road. Designed as an eight-lane, high-speed corridor, the project will span a total length of 55.12 km, including a 24.35 km sea bridge between Uttan and Virar and close to 31 km of approach roads.According to the DPR, the approach road network will include a 9.32 km connecting stretch at Uttan, a 2.5 km link at Vasai, and an 18.95 km road at Virar. The project is estimated to cost Rs 587.54 billion. Funding will be led by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which plans to raise Rs 443.32 billion through foreign lenders, with JICA under consideration. The state government will provide Rs 111.16 billion for taxes, land acquisition, and rehabilitation, while MMRDA will contribute an additional Rs 33.06 billion.The UVSL will serve as the northernmost segment of Mumbai’s upcoming coastal ring road, which is being developed through multiple connected corridors, including the Mumbai Coastal Road, Bandra–Worli Sea Link, Bandra–Versova Sea Link, and the Versova–Bhayandar elevated coastal corridor. Once all links are operational, commuters will have an uninterrupted high-speed route from Nariman Point to Virar.A key feature of the project is its integration with national corridors. The Virar connector will link the UVSL directly to the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, allowing long-distance traffic from Delhi and Gujarat to enter Mumbai through the coastal route instead of the congested western suburbs. The sea link will also act as the southern anchor for a proposed coastal expressway extending to Vadhvan Port in Palghar, creating a dedicated freight route and easing cargo burden on arterial suburban roads.News source: Knock Sense