Maha'tra to revive sewri sealink plan

The Congress-NCP government is trying to give a final push to the 22.5-km sealink project that would connect Sewri with Nhava in Raigad, before its powers to take decisions end in a month.

The government is trying to revive the Rs 6,000-crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and will present its new financial model to the cabinet sub-committee on infrastructure on Monday. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) revised its earlier financial model of Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) to a Public Private Participation (PPP) model.

“The PPP model will allow the government to have a hold over the private contractor implementing the project. So chances of its approval at the meeting seem good,” said a senior official from Mantralaya on condition of anonymity.

Vimal Mundada, Minister for Public Works Department said, “We will present the proposed PPP model to the state ministers’ cabinet after our meeting on Monday.”

The state’s major challenge lies in presenting the PPP model before the Government of India along with the expected 20 per cent viability gap fund required for the project.

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link has hit many roadblocks. MSRDC had formed a separate 5-member team in October 2008 but it was dissolved in April. The state government and MSRDC will have to form a separate team to resume the land acquisition procedure.