The work for much awaited Virar-Alibaug multimodal corridor will begin by mid-2020. The MMRDA will begin work on stretch between Navghar and Anjur by mid-2020.
According to Hindustan Times, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is executing the Rs 12,975-crore project, expects to start work on a 23-km stretch between Navghar and Anjur (part of phase-1) by mid-2020. Sanjay Khandare, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA told the leading daily, “The first phase of the project between Virar and Balavali includes 104 villages, and we are in the process of acquiring more than 1,000 hectares of land there.”
The first phase of the project is 79-km stretch between Virar and Balavali, which is estimated to cost Rs 9,326 crore. The second stretch from Balavali to Alibaug is 47kms that will be undertaken at a later stage.
Proposed in 2010, the project envisages to provide connectivity to Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts. It will pass through 127 villages with interchange nodes with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad (NH-8), Mumbai-Agra (NH-3), Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Mumbai-Goa (NH-17) highways. To be built in phases, this corridor will have 72 bridges, 21 flyovers, two overpasses and 35 vehicular underpasses.
It will cut down travel time between Virar and Alibaug by 50 per cent, and is touted to create job opportunities in Virar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Dombivali, Panvel, Taloja and Uran. It is also expected provide an easy access to Navi Mumbai International Airport, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, and Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. It is also expected to carry all the traffic from JNPT towards Navi Mumbai, Thane and Palghar outside Mumbai.
