Bandra to Worli in six minutes. That's a dream many a Mumbaikar has lived with for years now. And the wait has only seemed longer after the sea link project got off the ground. And then didn't. And then changed plans. And then added a new bridge....
Earlier this week, the two ends finally met. As the wait reaches its final, and what will seem agonisingly long months, commuters and residents wait anxiously for the project to complete that will change the skyline of the metropolis.
In 2000, The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) awarded the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) the contract to build the Bandra-Worli sea link. Thanks to 85% design change of the project in the wake of repeated change demanded by the Worli fishing communities, the actual project implementation started in January 2005.
Jimmy Mogal, Vice President, corporate communications, HCC says, "This project is made for the benefit of commuters and also for the people who reside in the closer vicinity to the sea. Hence, it is important to act upon their demands seriously while executing the project. Moreover, such projects normally take about four to five years to get completed. Well, soon after the final connectivity, the government will decide the opening date to traffic."
According to Mogal, the Link project was originally conceived to connect North Mumbai to South Mumbai, from Bandra to Nariman Point. While the plan remains in place, MSRDC is implementing it in phases. Mogal adds, "We are nearing completion of the Bandra to Worli section of the bridge and then the beginning of the next phase, which will be from Worli to Haji Ali will be announced based on the winning bidders."
For connectivity from Haji Ali to Nariman Point, MSRDC is reportedly evaluating plans to dig a tunnel below the sea via Malabar Hill to reach Nariman Point. Residents feel that the whole project will add to the stature of the city. "Apart from saving commutation time, this bridge will also add to the beauty of Mumbai. It reminds me of the Howrah bridge in Kolkata," said Akshay Verma, a Mumbai resident.
While the overall redistribution of traffic will ease congestion to an extent, it is expected to be a demand driver. Abhishek Kiran Gupta, Head, real estate intelligence services, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj says, "It is a significant achievement. However, the overall design of this project has not factored the requirement of smooth traffic transition at the points where it will matter the most. At Bandra, the sea link ends in a 90-degree cut that will undoubtedly result in considerable traffic bottlenecks in an already overstrained area. While those travelling from the Western Express Highway will for sure perceive an advantage, those on the SV Road side will continue to have issues."
According to Mogal, "The Maharashtra government not only considered cost of building the bridge, but also associated various other packages' costs to this project. He adds that when the Bandra Worli sea link contract was given to HCC, the cost of the bridge was Rs 400 crore, which is inclusive of the total cost of various mentioned packages at Rs 1,340 crore. This total cost of packages has increased to Rs 1,640 crore that involves loan servicing costs, design changes. The government has agreed to pay Rs 157 crore compensation to MSDRC as it had to take loans from financial institutions and the interest amounts were added to Rs 1,640 crore." Once the Bandra-Worli Sea Link opens to traffic, commuters are expected to pay a one-way toll of Rs 45 to MSRDC. A small price for saving precious time or is it the beginning of another controversy? We will wait and see.