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The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has received bids from several international companies to build the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) through aen EPC contract.

The project has attracted bids from China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co. Ltd. (subsidiary of China Railway Group Limited), Japan’s IHI Infrastructure System Co. Ltd., and Korea’s Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. and SK Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. among others. 

The project was initially launched under a PPP basis in November 2011. As we reported in August 2013, none of the five consortia shortlisted for the project submitted an offer. While one of them withdrew from the race last week, IRB Infrastructure - Hyundai, the other four chose not to submit their bids.

The proposed MTHL has been planned to facilitate decongestion of the island city by improving connectivity between Island city and main land (Navi Mumbai) and development of Navi Mumbai Region was envisaged about 30 years back.

The scope of the project includes a 22 km long, 6 lane bridge. This includes about 16.5km long creek bridge with 5.5km viaducts on land on either side. The link has interchanges at Sewri in Mumbai and at Chirle on NH-4B on Navi Mumbai side. When completed, MTHL would be the longest sea bridge in India. 

The trans-harbour link will cost about INR178000 (US$2.7 billion), with nearly 85% of that coming from the Japan International Cooperation Agency as a soft loan to be repaid over 30 years,

It is expected to be completed in 2021.

With the view to connect the mainland to Mumbai through rail based mass transport MMRDA has planned a metro corridor from Prabhadevi to Sewri and further to the Mainland through Navi Mumbai to a suitable location on the Panvel-Pen section having interchange stations and facilities with the existing and proposed rail system.

U.P.S. Madan, the chief of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, said:

“Fortunately, it has come to a stage where now it is going to take off. The project will bring economic development to the so far underdeveloped eastern suburbs of Mumbai and reduce the load on infrastructure in other parts"