Bandra-Versova Sea Link to be named after Veer Savarkar

The under-construction Bandra-Versova Sea Link in Mumbai would be named after Veer Savarkar, the revolutionary freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue.

‘Swatantraveer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (28 May, 1883 -26 February, 1966), is a revered personality in Maharashtra - and the Shiv Sena-BJP government is celebrating it as “Swatantraveer Gaurav Din”.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made the formal announcement on Sunday evening coinciding with birth anniversary celebrations of Veer Savarkar.

Also Read | Fire at residential building in Mumbai; 2 persons rescued

“As a mark of respect and recognition of the work of Swatantraveer Savarkar, the Bandra-Versova sea route in Mumbai will be named as 'Swatantraveer Savarkar Bandra- Versova Sagari Setu',” Shinde said.

He also said that on the lines of Bravery award instituted by the Union Government, the Swatantra Veer Savarkar Shaurya Puraskar will be given for incredible bravery deeds in the state.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on the birth anniversary of Swatantraveer Savarkar and this is a matter of pride,” said Shinde.

Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson Krishna Hegde said: “The Versova-Bandra section of the Sea Link will be named after Swatantraveer Savarkar which is a befitting tribute to a ‘remarkable' son of Mother India.”

Shinde’s announcement comes days after Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had written a letter to him in March requesting to name Bandra-Versova Sea Link after Veer Savarkar and the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) after late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

A few days ago, Shinde had announced that the Coastal Road in Mumbai would be named after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the eldest son of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The state government will also erect the statue of Sambhaji Maharaj on the road.

The Bandra Versova Sea Link is a 17.17-kilometre-long bridge which will connect Versova, a neighbourhood of Andheri to the 5.6-km-long Bandra-Worli Sea Link, known as Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, which was inaugurated around a decade ago.