Road-cum-rail bridge likely over Vasai creek

Mumbai: The state government is contemplating a two-deck road-cum-rail bridge over Vasai Creek that will provide seamless connectivity between Mumbai and Virar, and onward, with the upcoming Vadhavan port and the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway.

The first rail-cum-road bridge in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the structure under consideration will amalgamate two separate projects – the Uttan-Virar Sea Link (UVSL) which was approved by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on May 2, and the Mira Road-Virar metro 13 corridor, which is in the planning stage. The estimated cost of the two projects is over ₹94,000 crore, with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) being the major funder.

Uttan Virar Sea Link

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation had initially mooted a sea link between Versova and Virar. The MMRDA, which took over the project in October 2022, subsequently broke it down it into two actionable phases – phase one focussed on connecting Uttan with Virar, and phase two on connecting Virar with Palghar.

The first phase of the project – the Uttan Virar Sea Link (UVSL) – envisages a high-speed, eight-lane road linking the city directly with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The road will have three entry/ exit points at Uttan, Vasai and Virar and it is expected to ease traffic on existing arterial roads such as the Western Express Highway, SV Road, and Link Road.

The UVSL was approved after considerable review during a meeting held on May 2, sources in MMRDA told HT. “The project will bring wide-ranging benefits to the northern part of MMR as it will unlock regional economic potential, improve mobility, and enhance the quality of life,” said an MMRDA official.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis too said the UVSL would pave the way for a “brighter, more connected future” for MMR. “The project is a monumental leap forward in the development of Maharashtra’s infrastructure and reflects our commitment to creating better connectivity for all, while stimulating economic growth and ensuring environmental sustainability in Mumbai,” said Fadnavis.

“This vital corridor will connect Virar to Mumbai in mere minutes, enabling smoother daily commutes, faster access to workplaces, and timely travel even in medical emergencies,” said MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee.

Clubbing with Metro 13

The 23-km metro 13 corridor, also known as the purple line, will connect Shivaji Nagar in Mira Road with Virar. Being built by the MMRDA at a cost of ₹6,900 crore, the metro corridor will be built across the Vasai Creek and integrate with the under construction metro 9 corridor between Dahisar East and Uttan. Once ready, passengers would be able to travel all the way from Gundavali on the metro 7 corridor till Virar with interchanges at Dahisar East and Shivaji Nagar.

The metro 13 line will run parallel to the Western Railway network and ease congestion inside local trains, sources in the MMRDA told HT.

“Presently, we are exploring the option of amalgamating the metro line with the UVSL to prevent duplication of resources and construct a two-deck bridge within the same space,” an MMRDA official told Hindustan Times, requesting anonymity. “The lower deck will likely accommodate the road while the upper deck will have the metro line. The two can interchanged too, depending on the detailed plan.”

The bridge, which will pass over Vasai Creek, is likely to be built using orthotropic steel deck spans for enhanced durability and seismic resistance, like in the case of the Atal Setu, said MMRDA officials. While JICA will provide 72% funding for the ₹87,000-crore project, the state government/ MMRDA will provide the balance funds, the officials said.