Mumbai: Drive on Versova-Bandra-Worli sea link to get costlier
A drive on the Bandra-Worli sea link and the Versova-Bandra sea link (VBSL) would be a delight for Mumbaikars, but also heavy on the pocket. A one-way ride across these links could cost as much as Rs. 300 initially. The VBSL will have one-way toll charges of Rs. 210 per car. By 2021, the charges on Bandra-Worli would also have increased to Rs. 80-90.
Calculate how much you have to pay for a drive?
The toll charges on Bandra-Worli will be hiked every three years by 18%, the first to start next month. That's about Rs. 80-90 by 2021. However, the rates for tempos, trucks and buses will be different.
The Versova stretch will connect western suburbs to South Mumbai
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) targets to finish the Rs. 7,502 crore project through loans raised against toll concession till 2052. BMC will use its own funds to build Phase-1 of this project from Princess Street Flyover to Bandra-Worli. The construction of the VBSL, Maharashtra's most ambitious coastal project, was started in 2017 and once ready, will connect western suburbs with South Mumbai.
Government estimated 1L vehicles daily, but only one-third operating
An average 37,336 vehicles were plying on the sea-link daily in 2016-17, an increase from 34,202 vehicles in 2015-16, but this too falls short by the original estimate put forth by the authorities: they expected around one lakh vehicles to ply on the sea-link daily.
