Published on Nov 07, 2018
The proposed Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (‘MTHL') has been planned to facilitate decongestion of the island city by improving connectivity between Island city and main land (Navi Mumbai) and development of Navi Mumbai Region. The link was envisaged about 35 years back.
Earlier three attempts in the year 2006, 2007 and 2013 by the Government authorities to take up the Project in various modes including PPP and EPC did not succeed.
Govt. of Maharashtra, vide G.R. dated 4th February 2009, decided that the project will be owned and implemented by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Govt. of Maharashtra, vide G.R. dated 8th June 2011, designated the project as Regional Development project.
Accordingly, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has undertaken the implementation of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project, connecting Sewri on Mumbai side to Chirle on Navi Mumbai side. This important link having length of about 21.8 Km is being implemented considering the importance of connectivity between the island city and the mainland. On completion of this project, the commuters traveling from Mumbai towards Navi Mumbai, Navi Mumbai International Airport, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Panvel, Alibaug, Pune and Goa will not only be saving travel time but will also save in terms of fuel. This will also help alleviate the traffic congestion in the island city and facilitate development of Navi Mumbai area.
It has been decided to implement the project on EPC (Design-Build) basis with Official Development Loan assistance from JICA. JICA planned the project to be implemented 3 Packages of Civil works and 1 package containing the Intelligent Transport System. The Contract Agreements were signed on 26th December 2017 for Package 1 and 3 and on 19th January 2018 for Package 2. The letters of Commencements have been issued to Contractors of Package-1, Package-2 & Package-3 Contractors on 23rd March 2018.
Transportation and traffic planning for Greater Bombay was commissioned to Wilbur Smith and Associates in mid-1962. The firm's report, based on extensive studies conducted over 18 months, was handed over to the Union Ministry of Transport on 19 December 1963. Among other projects, the report proposed the construction of a sea link, known as the Uran Bridge, to connect Mumbai with the mainland near the town of Uran. However, Smith was unsure of the link's feasibility. Citing poor traffic expectations in Uran even in 1981, his report advised a more detailed study of this connection and recommended waiting until "the Trans-Thana area develops further and more community services are extended to Uran." In 1973, the Vashi Bridge linking Mankhurd in Mumbai with Vashi in Navi Mumbai was opened
The cost of the MTHL has increased several times. In 2005, the cost of the project was estimated at ₹4,000 crore (equivalent to ₹97 billion or US$1.3 billion in 2017). The cost was revised to Rs. 6000 crore in 2008. It was then increased to Rs. 8800 crore in November 2011 and to ₹9360 crore in August 2012.The MMRDA re-evaluated the cost project as about Rs. 11,000 crore (US$1.5 billion) at 2014 prices. In April 2017, the project cost was estimated at ₹17,843 crore (US$2.5 billion),[104][105] which includes Rs. 70 crore compensation to fishermen, ₹45 crore for installing noise barriers after opening the sea link, a ₹25 crore deposit as seed money to mangrove fund, another Rs. 25 crore for a compensatory mangrove restoration plan, and a mandatory expenditure of at least Rs. 335 crore for an "environment management programme". In July 2017, the MMRDA announced that it would provide a one-time payment of ₹5.68 lakh (US$7,900) to each fisherman affected by the project. The agency received over 3,000 claims for compensation, and it will award payments to genuine claimants after screening the claims.
JICA will fund 85% of the total cost through a loan at a concessional rate of yen-London Interbank Offered Rate plus 0.1% for the project activities, and 0.01% for consulting services, with a 30-year repayment period, including a 10-year grace period.[107][108] JICA and the MMRDA signed the agreement to disburse the first tranche of the loan on 31 March 2017. The first tranche of Rs. 7,910 crore (US$1.1 billion) is about 45% of the total project cost. The MMRDA will bear 1.2% of the project cost, and the remaining amount will be borne by the State Government. The MMRDA allocated ₹1,200 crore (US$170 million) towards the project in its budget for the 2017-18 fiscal.
Prior to the submission of bids for the project, the MMRDA estimated the project cost at Rs. 14,137 crore (US$2.0 billion). The actual contract for the project was awarded to three bidders at a combined cost of ₹14,262 crore (US$2.0 billion) in November 2017.[112] MMRDA officials stated that they expected the cost to reduce by 6% as a result of the Union Government's decision to lower the goods and services tax (GST) for construction work from 18% to 12%. The revised cost of the contract would now be Rs. 13,400 crore (US$1.9 billion)
• Saving in travel time, Vehicle Operating Cost and Fuel Savings
• Accelerated growth of Navi Mumbai
• Decongestion of island city of Mumbai
• Connectivity to MbPT and JNPT Ports
• Faster access to Navi Mumbai International Airport
• Connectivity to Pune Expressway and to South India
• Rationalization of real estate prices in Greater Mumbai
• Greater economic integration of Mumbai island with Navi Mumbai and extended regions of Pune, Goa, Panvel and Alibaug
• Environment improvement and reduced pollution levels
The Project is being implemented in 4 Packages:
Construction of 10.380 km long bridge section (CH 0+000 to CH10+380) across the Mumbai Bay Including Sewri Interchange.
Construction of 7.807 km long bridge section (CH 10+380 –CH 18+187) across the Mumbai Bay including Shivaji Nagar Interchange.
Construction of 3.613 km long viaduct section (CH 18+187 – CH 21+ 800) including interchanges at State Highway-54 and at National Highway-4B near Chirle in Navi Mumbai.
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) includes Toll and Transport Management System and Equipment Installation for the Project. PQ for Package-4 is planned to be issued at the third Quarter of 2018.
The MMRDA will construct a 1.5 km long cloverleaf interchange connecting the Eastern Freeway, R.A. Kidwai Marg, Acharya Donde Marg, and the proposed elevated Sewri-Worli road, with the MTHL. The loop will be built on a 27-acre plot located east of the Sewri railway station. The plot was leased for a period of 30 years from the Mumbai Port Trust. The loop consists of two lanes branching out from the MTHL and linking with the Eastern Freeway, the proposed elevated Sewri-Worli road, and the existing at-grade Messant Road. The Coastal Road intersects the proposed 4.25 km Sewri-Worli road on Worli Seaface providing additional connectivity.
The Eastern Freeway is a 16.9-kilometre-long (10.5 mi) controlled-access freeway, that connects P D'Mello Road in South Mumbai to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) at Ghatkopar.
The Sewri – Worli connector would connect the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. It will be a 4.5 km long cable-stayed bridge. The project is expected to cost Rs. 490 crore (US$68 million), and be completed in four years.
The MMRDA received bids from 5 companies to construct the Worli – Sewri connector. They were Simplex Infrastructures Ltd, Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Construction Company, Gammon India and the National Construction Company (NCC). Simplex Infrastructures Ltd quoted the lowest bid (nearly 16-17% below the estimated cost of the project), followed by Larsen & Toubro (14% below the reserve price).In April 2016, DNA reported that the project had been cancelled, after previously being put "on hold" in 2015. No budgetary allocation was made for the project in the 2015-16 fiscal, and the MMRDA has no future plans to construct the connector
