Trans Harbour Link to be renamed after Vajpayee, Versova-Bandra Sea Link after Veer Savarkar

The iconic Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) would be named after BJP stalwart and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while the Versova-Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) would be named after ‘Swatantryaveer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

The decision was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday.

The MTHL would be known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Sewree Nhava Sheva Atal Setu.

The VBSL has been renamed as Swatantryaveer Savarkar Setu.

It may be mentioned, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had written to Shinde seeking the renaming of MTHL after Vajpayee.

Shinde on Veer Savarkar Jayanti, which falls on May 28, had also assured that the government will be naming the VBSL after Savarkar.

Last month, the Mumbai Coastal Road project was 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 Versova-Bandra Sea Link is a 17.17-kilometre 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.

The MTHL is a cable-stayed bridge, spanning nearly 21.8 kms. The length of the sea bridge would be 16.5 kms and the length of approach viaducts would be 5.5 kms. The link would support a six lane (3x3) carriageway.

Two other similar bridges are Hangzhou Bay Bridge in China (36 kms) and King Fahd Causeway, Saudi Arabia (26 kms).

The MTHL is expected to boost development on the mainland Mumbai, satellite township of Navi Mumbai and Raigad. It is likely to ensure speedy connectivity to the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport. Savings in fuel and vehicle operating costs to reach Navi Mumbai, Uran, Panvel, Alibaug, Pune, Konkan and Goa is another major benefit of the project. It would also decongest vehicular traffic in the island city.

The three projects are nearing completion.