Mumbai

Recommended way back in 1970, the Western Freeway sea link’s second part, Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link (WHSL), was finally put into execution mode by the state government on June 28 evening. The project, supposed to be ready in 42 months starting from December 2010, promises to cut down on the travel time between Bandra and Haji Ali from 60 minutes to 13 minutes as the proposed bridge will bypass 27 traffic signals in stretch between Bandra and Haji Ali.

Currently, over 48,000 vehicles use the Bandra Worli Sea link every day and experts feel that the figure will increase to 1.20 lakh per day after the Haji Ali part is commissioned. The consortium of Reliance Sea Link One Private Ltd (RSLOPL) and Hyundai Engineering and Construction Pvt Ltd. on June 28 signed an agreement with state agency MSRDC to build the 3.4-km (7 km including connectors) link over the sea at a ceremony held at Hotel Trident in the evening.

“It will be a challenging task to build this bridge in just 42 months and we are going to achieve the target,” said CEO of Reliance Infrastructure Lalit Jalan. Sonia Sethi, MD of MSRDC, assured to clear all approvals so that the construction could get over within the deadline without any hassles. “Though the entire Western Freeway sea link from Bandra to Nariman Point has already received environmental clearance, approvals for small changes in the design at Worli and Haji Ali are expected soon,” said Sethi.

“We have already started the process in order to put men and machinery on the job. With the financial closure in December this year, we will start on the actual construction,” said Jalan. The WHSL is expected to be thrown open to the public by June 2014.

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