The ambitious Versova-Bandra Sea Link, designed to transform urban mobility along Mumbai’s western corridor, is progressing steadily with an estimated 60 per cent completion, officials confirmed. The project is on track for completion within the next two years, promising to significantly reduce traffic congestion along the Western Expressway and provide a parallel high-capacity transport corridor.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) outlined the latest updates at a recent real estate and infrastructure event, emphasising that the Versova-Bandra Sea Link, along with its planned extension connecting Dahisar to Bhayander, will bolster regional connectivity and economic activity. The extension is expected to be completed within the next two to three years, integrating seamlessly with the larger metropolitan road network. “This extensive sea link network will function as a fully parallel corridor to the Western Expressway, which currently manages around 60 per cent of the city’s vehicular traffic,” a senior infrastructure official noted. “Once operational, the sea link will effectively distribute traffic, enhancing commute efficiency and reducing environmental impacts caused by vehicular congestion.”
Beyond the sea link, authorities are advancing plans for a new northern ring road connecting Bhayander to Vardhavan Port via Virar, with construction expected to commence within the next year. This strategic corridor is projected to facilitate smoother freight movement, ease urban bottlenecks, and support the growth of industrial and logistical hubs in the northern Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). In parallel, Maharashtra’s urban development strategy includes the creation of two new satellite cities: Third Mumbai in Navi Mumbai, focusing on technology and economic infrastructure, and Fourth Mumbai in the northern MMR, designed as a logistics and port-centric hub. Third Mumbai will host a world-class Education City spanning 300 acres near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, accommodating around 100,000 students and featuring partnerships with 12 globally ranked universities. This initiative aligns with central government policies encouraging foreign universities to set up campuses in India, enhancing the region’s knowledge economy.
Fourth Mumbai, anchored by the under-construction Vardhavan Port—set to become India’s largest port—will emerge as a major commercial and logistical nucleus. Both satellite cities are expected to relieve pressure on central Mumbai while promoting sustainable urban expansion, aligning with Maharashtra’s broader goals of zero-carbon, equitable, and future-ready city planning. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been tasked with coordinating these mega-projects, including public-private partnerships for urban development, infrastructure financing, and long-term operational sustainability. Officials emphasised that the integrated transport and city expansion strategy is designed to minimise environmental disruption, optimise land use, and facilitate gender-neutral, accessible, and equitable urban spaces.
With the Versova-Bandra Sea Link on schedule, the broader infrastructure vision for Mumbai is poised to reshape mobility, economic corridors, and urban living, providing citizens with sustainable commuting options and supporting the city’s emergence as a globally competitive metropolitan hub.
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