Uttan-Virar Sea Link Phase One Cleared to Boost North Mumbai Access

07 May 2025 CW Team

The Maharashtra government has approved Phase One of the Uttan-Virar Sea Link (UVSL), a coastal corridor project designed to improve connectivity and drive regional development in North Mumbai. Approved at the one hundred fifty-ninth meetings of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the project is set to ease congestion and reduce travel time between Uttan, Vasai and Virar.

Phase One spans 55.12 kilometres, comprising a 24.35 km sea link and approach roads from Uttan (9.32 kilometres), Vasai (2.5 kilometres) and Virar (18.95 kilometres).

Advanced engineering features like re-aligned ramps, tunnelling and OSD conversion spans—previously used in projects like Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and Atal Setu—will ensure long-term durability.

The estimated cost is around Rs 874.27 Bn, funded via a hybrid model: seventy-two per cent from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and twenty-eight per cent from the Maharashtra government and MMRDA.

Expected benefits include smoother commutes, real estate and industrial growth, and improved emergency response. The project will also connect to major expressways, including the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, enhancing intercity mobility.

Source:The Indian Express

Infrastructure Transport

09 Jan 2026

India Becomes First to Produce Bio-Bitumen for Roads

India has become the first country in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen for use in road construction, according to Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Bitumen, a black and viscous hydrocarbon derived from crude oil, is a key binding material in road building, and the bio-based alternative is expected to significantly improve the sector’s environmental footprint.Addressing the CSIR Technology Transfer Ceremony in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari congratulated Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on achieving the milestone, noting that the initiative would help curb ..

HILT Policy Seen Boosting Telangana Revenue Sharply

The Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation (HILT) Policy is expected to generate around Rs 1.08 billion in revenue for the Telangana state exchequer, according to Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu. Speaking in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he said the policy would be implemented within a six-month timeframe in a transparent manner, with uniform rules applicable to all stakeholders. Mr Vikramarka noted that without the HILT Policy, the state would have earned only about Rs 1.2 million per acre. Under the new framework, however, revenue is projected to rise sharply to Rs 70 ..

India Post, MoRD Tie Up to Boost Rural Inclusion

The Department of Posts and the Ministry of Rural Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate rural transformation and expand financial, digital and logistics services for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural households across India. The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The collaboration aligns with the government’s “Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa” vision and seeks to repositi..