Mumbai: The under-construction Versova-Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) has achieved an overall 32% civil progress after nearly finishing seven years, with financial progress standing at around 30% so far, according to project updates.
Original Award
The project was originally awarded in 2018 to Reliance Infrastructure and its joint venture partner Astaldi, which secured the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract worth Rs 7,000 crore through a competitive bidding process. As per the contract, Reliance Infrastructure had committed to completing the project within 60 months from the appointed date of June 24, 2019.
However, the consortium failed to carry out work on-ground, even after extensions granted due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, Reliance Infrastructure exited the project by transferring its stake to Astaldi. The project was later taken over by Webuild of Astaldi Group in partnership with APCO Infratech, which are now executing the ongoing works.
Project Takeover
Breakdown of physical progress shows that foundational works are advancing steadily. Piling—the backbone of the marine structure—has reached 46.73% completion, while bent piles stand at 43.93%. Construction of pile caps has progressed to 32.64%, and pier work is at 37.64%. Pier cap construction, a more complex stage, is currently at 19.71%, while pre-cast segment production has reached 24.80%.
Work is progressing simultaneously across multiple fronts. Temporary access bridges are being constructed to facilitate marine operations, while piling activities are underway both in the sea and on these access structures. Pier and pier cap construction is also ongoing at several marine locations.
Multiple Fronts
Segment casting is being carried out at dedicated yards in Bandra and Malad, while fabrication of the steel superstructure is underway in Ghazipur and China. On-site, superstructure erection using launching gantries is in progress at Bandra, Versova and Carter Road. Key stretches such as Bandra continue to see active pier and pier cap work, while superstructure erection is underway at Carter Road. At Juhu, piling operations are progressing through temporary access arrangements.
The VBSL project comprises a 9.60-km-long main bridge with 4+4 traffic lanes, including a 30-metre cable-stayed span and three balanced cantilever bridges of 10 metres each. The project will be integrated with four key connectors at Bandra, Carter Road, Juhu Koliwada, and Nana-Nani Park. Civil constructio.
Spanning nearly 3,000 pillars placed at intervals of about 60 metres, the VBSL, rising around 12 metres above sea level, is expected to significantly reshape travel between South Mumbai and the city’s northern suburbs once completed.
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