This article is part of a daily series of MegaProjects articles. If you want to know more about PPP projects with a considerable size visit our MegaProjects section. You can receive them by email on a daily basis.

India's Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has launched a request for qualification for the Versova-Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) project.

The project will be developed through public private partnership on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis and the concession will be for a period of 35 years. The project cost is estimated at Rs 59,750 million (US$978.5 million). 

MSRDC will conduct a pre-bid conference for potential bidders on March 28, while the last date for the submission of technical bids will be May 30. MSRDC will open technical bids on May 31, according to the tender notice.

MSRDC chairman and public works minister Jaidutt Kshirsagar stated:

The project is expected to be complete in four years. All the requisite clearances including environment clearance are in the MSRDC's possession.

The VBSL is part of the Western Freeway, which is a transportation infrastructure project in Mumbai. The whole project involves the construction of multiple bridges over the Arabian Sea to reduce traffic-congestion between the Western Suburbs and the island city.

The VBSL is a proposed 9.89-km long sea link that connects Bandra with Versova. It is a northward extension of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and represents the last leg of the Western Freeway which originated from Nariman Point. The BVSL will be built 900 metres into the Arabian Sea on stilts and pillars along the coast.

The 8-lane sealink will have a 150 metre-long cable-stayed portion to allow the passage of boats.

See Tender notice: https://www.msrdc.org/site/upload/E%20tender%20notice.pdf