Project cost for Versova-Bandra Sealink jumps by 60% to Rs 113.33 bn
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Project cost for Versova-Bandra Sealink jumps by 60% to Rs 113.33 bn

Versova Bandra Sealink, the state government of Maharashtra's flagship project, now costs an astounding Rs 113.33 billion, up from Rs 69.93 billion in 2019. The project has made relatively little progress despite a massive cost overrun of over Rs 43 billion over the past four years. Many parties have contested the project's environmental clearance, which has caused legal tangles for the project. The Supreme Court has now been involved in the case.

The 17.7 kilometre long, Rs 70 billion project was supposed to be finished in 2023. The project's deadline has now been pushed back to December 2026 by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the project's nodal organisation. In 2019, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. and the Italian company Astaldi formed a consortium to win the VBS project following a tendering process. L&T and ITD Cementation were L2 and L3, with costs of Rs 76 billion and Rs 73 billion respectively. Reliance-Astanali JV was the L1 with a project cost of Rs 69 billion.

Reliance Infra sold its interests to Astaldi in 2021, and APPCO, a business with headquarters in Uttar Pradesh, joined Astaldi as a new JV partner on the project. In February 2017, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) received Environment Clearance (EC) from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). The NGT’s Western Bench rejected the plea in August 2022 after Juhu Moragaon Machhimar Vividh Karyakari Sahkari Sanstha (JMMVKSS), a fish workers society in Juhu, objected to the EC given to the sealink.

Following that, the case was brought before the High Court, which also dismissed the petition. Thereafter, a different petitioner submitted a comparable petition contesting the EC given to the project in the NGT. In opposition to the NGT taking up the same issue, which has already been resolved by the High Court and the NGT's Western Bench, the MSRDC has now filed a petition with the Supreme Court. The project’s cost has increased to Rs 113.33 billion as a result of the excessive delay, according to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who also mentioned the MSRDC’s request for an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court.

Your next big infra connection is waiting at RAHSTA 2025 – Asia’s Biggest Roads & Highways Expo, Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Don’t miss out!

Versova Bandra Sealink, the state government of Maharashtra's flagship project, now costs an astounding Rs 113.33 billion, up from Rs 69.93 billion in 2019. The project has made relatively little progress despite a massive cost overrun of over Rs 43 billion over the past four years. Many parties have contested the project's environmental clearance, which has caused legal tangles for the project. The Supreme Court has now been involved in the case. The 17.7 kilometre long, Rs 70 billion project was supposed to be finished in 2023. The project's deadline has now been pushed back to December 2026 by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the project's nodal organisation. In 2019, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. and the Italian company Astaldi formed a consortium to win the VBS project following a tendering process. L&T and ITD Cementation were L2 and L3, with costs of Rs 76 billion and Rs 73 billion respectively. Reliance-Astanali JV was the L1 with a project cost of Rs 69 billion. Reliance Infra sold its interests to Astaldi in 2021, and APPCO, a business with headquarters in Uttar Pradesh, joined Astaldi as a new JV partner on the project. In February 2017, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) received Environment Clearance (EC) from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). The NGT’s Western Bench rejected the plea in August 2022 after Juhu Moragaon Machhimar Vividh Karyakari Sahkari Sanstha (JMMVKSS), a fish workers society in Juhu, objected to the EC given to the sealink. Following that, the case was brought before the High Court, which also dismissed the petition. Thereafter, a different petitioner submitted a comparable petition contesting the EC given to the project in the NGT. In opposition to the NGT taking up the same issue, which has already been resolved by the High Court and the NGT's Western Bench, the MSRDC has now filed a petition with the Supreme Court. The project’s cost has increased to Rs 113.33 billion as a result of the excessive delay, according to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who also mentioned the MSRDC’s request for an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court.

Next Story
Real Estate

Vitizen Hotels Signs Deal at Manyata Tech Park

Vikram Kamats Hospitality, as part of its ongoing expansion in key metropolitan markets, announced that its material subsidiary, Vitizen Hotels, has signed a long-term lease agreement for a 45-key hotel property at Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru.Strategically located in the city’s prominent IT hub, the property is well-positioned to serve corporate travelers, business professionals, and long-stay guests. The addition aligns with the company’s asset-light growth model, leveraging long-term leases to expand its footprint in high-demand urban markets.The hotel is expected to strengthen the comp..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

CONCOR Signs MoU with BPIPL to Operate Container Terminal at Bhavnagar Port

Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhavnagar Port Infrastructure (BPIPL) on September 4, 2025, in New Delhi to operate and maintain the upcoming container terminal at the northside of Bhavnagar Port, Gujarat.BPIPL had earlier entered into an agreement with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in September 2024 for the port’s development. Under this arrangement, 235 hectares of land has been leased to BPIPL for 30 years, with provision for expansion by an additional 250 hectares.The new terminal is expected to significantly enhance logistic..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Concord Launches India’s First Indigenous Zero-Emission Rail Propulsion

Concord Control Systems (CCSL), a leader in embedded electronics and critical rail technologies, has announced the development of India’s first fully indigenous zero-emission propulsion system, marking a significant step toward the country’s railway electrification and net-zero goals for 2030.Powered by Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries and featuring a DC chopper-based drive, the propulsion system eliminates idling losses common in diesel engines, offering higher efficiency, lower costs, and zero emissions.What sets this innovation apart is its completely indigenous design. Except for..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?