Nearly 10 months after awarding work orders for the second phase of the Versova-Bhayander coastal road project, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has received the mandatory Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance. While this is a significant step forward, several approvals are still pending, including from the Forest Department, Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), and the High Court. The project aims to connect Versova and Bhayander through the Versova Dahisar Link Road (VDLR) and Dahisar Bhayander Link Road (DBLR).
A senior BMC official acknowledged that obtaining these approvals is a complex process and may take time. The project includes a clause allowing six months for obtaining clearances before construction can begin. The BMC is hopeful that the MMB and High Court approvals will be secured soon, while the Forest Department’s clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) may take longer. The proposed VDLR will feature a 22-kilometer alignment with roads on land, elevated sections, roads on stilts, a cable-stayed bridge, and a cut-and-cover tunnel beneath a creek.
