Maharashtra Approves Rs 1,722 Crore Bandra Fort Connector to Ease Traffic

The Maharashtra government has granted administrative approval for the construction of a 3.55-kilometre Bandra Fort Connector adjacent to Bandra Fort and opposite Hotel Taj Lands End in Bandra West, Mumbai. The four-lane road project is aimed at easing severe traffic congestion for commuters travelling towards Taj Lands End, Bandra Fort, and Pali Hill from the under-construction Swatantryaveer Savarkar Sea Link, also known as the Versova-Bandra Sea Link.

The project will be executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) as part of the ongoing sea link development. The state has approved the project at an estimated cost of Rs 1,722.40 crore, which includes a civil construction cost of Rs 1,183.79 crore in addition to allied provisions and GST.

The connector is intended to provide an alternative route for motorists entering Bandra West. At present, the roads connecting the Sea Link toll plaza to Pali Hill are largely one-plus-one lane routes. Motorists travelling the approximately 2.6-kilometre stretch from the Sea Link toll plaza to the Pali Hill area often take between 20 and 30 minutes due to heavy traffic volumes.

The new four-lane (two-plus-two) connector is designed to expand road capacity and improve vehicular movement through an area currently constrained by narrow carriageways. The full structure will span a total length of 3.55 kilometres, which includes dedicated ramps and loops.

The demand for the connector was initiated by Adv Ashish Shelar, Cabinet Minister and Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs, who sought its inclusion in the ongoing sea link infrastructure project.

The MSRDC initially submitted the proposal for the connector to the Public Works Department at Mantralaya on August 19, 2024. A subsequent government resolution formally approved the project, authorising the MSRDC to construct the additional connector linking the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Sea Link bridge at Bandra Fort.