The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has submitted a fresh proposal for the project to the state’s urban development department, giving new momentum to a plan that has been delayed for years.
The bridge project was first proposed in 2000 and received state government approval in 2013. It aims to build a double-deck bridge across the Vasai creek, creating a major new transport link in the region.
Under the proposal, the upper deck will be used as a road corridor for vehicles, while the lower deck will carry Metro Line 13, adding both road and rail connectivity in a single structure.
If completed, the bridge could bring a major change in daily travel. The current 39-km journey between Bhayandar and Vasai, which often takes around 90 minutes, could be reduced to just 10 minutes over a shorter 5-km route.
This is expected to offer huge relief to nearly 18 lakh residents living in the Vasai-Virar belt, many of whom travel regularly for work and business.
The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 2,500 crore, making it one of the major planned infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Officials said the bridge has already secured three of the five required approvals. Clearances have been received from the Maharashtra Maritime Board, Inland Waterways Authority of India and Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority.
With fresh movement on the proposal, attention is now on the remaining approvals needed before construction can begin on this much-awaited connectivity project.
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