Bombay HC allows felling of 1,237 mangrove trees for Versova-Madh bridge

The long wait for the proposed bridge between Versova and Madh in Mumbai may be nearing its end, with work now expected to gain pace. The Bombay High Court has approved the felling of 1,237 mangrove trees for the bridge.

As soon as the court's approval came, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began site visits and an assessment of ground conditions. Construction of the project, which is estimated to cost about Rs 2,395 crore, is expected to begin soon.

At present, motorists travelling from Versova to Madh have to take a long detour via Lokhandwala, Oshiwara, Link Road and Marve Road, adding about 18 to 20 km to the journey. During peak hours it can take up to 90 minutes. Once the bridge opens, the distance will be cut and the trip from Versova to Madh will take only 5 to 10 minutes.

The bridge will be 2.06 km long and will link Madh Jetty Road with Fisheries University Road in Andheri. About 600 metres of it will be of cable-stayed design.

The main span will be 300 metres, with back spans of 150 metres on either side. This design is being adopted to cause the least damage to the creek's environment and to reduce the need for a large number of piers.

The bridge is expected to bring major relief to residents of Madh, Marve, the INS Hamla and air force establishments, as well as the Malad and Kandivali areas.

There is also a proposal to connect the bridge to the Mumbai Coastal Road project. If a link is later made with the Dahisar-Bhayander coastal road, traffic in the western suburbs could also benefit.

The Versova-Madh bridge was envisaged in the 1967 Mumbai development plan, but for several decades the project remained on paper. Its design was finalised in 2020, and a tender process was held in March 2023. The project has also received in-principle approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The project is planned to be completed by March 31, 2029. Residents of the Versova-Madh area are now watching to see when actual construction begins and whether the work is finished on time. If the bridge, stalled for years, is built, traffic jams in the western suburbs should ease and travel time should be saved.