The Maharashtra Cabinet approved the long-standing Virar-Alibaug MultiModal Corridor. This is a big infrastructure upgrade for the region, as this corridor will link major transport hubs including the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Sea Link (Atal Setu). A senior official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) stated that the land acquisition process for this project is being fast-tracked and the tendering processes for this corridor will be completed in the next few months. The groundwork will commence by 2026.
Connectivity:This 126.3-kilometer-long corridor will connect Vasai, Pen, Bhiwandi, Uran, Kalyan, Panvel, Ambernath, Pen, and Alibaug. It will integrate important national highways and expressways like Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway (NH-48), Mumbai-Agra Highway (NH-848), Kalyan-Murbad Highway (NH-61), Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway (NH-48), and the Mumbai-Goa Highway (NH-66).
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How Will This Corridor Be Constructed?In a meeting held on June 17, the Cabinet decided to cancel the earlier Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC)-based tender process. They decided that this project would be built under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) Model. In phase 1 of this project, the MSRDC will construct 96.41 kilometers of the corridor (From Navghar, Palghar to Balavali, Pen)
Land Acquisition Cost:To expedite the project, the state government has cleared land acquisition worth ₹22,250 crore, while granting overall administrative approval of ₹37,013 crore, which also covers a projected interest of ₹14,763 crore. Officials confirmed that a comprehensive proposal, along with draft tender documents and a concession agreement, must be prepared before initiating the bidding process. Additionally, a comfort clause has been approved for HUDCO, ensuring loan repayment in case of revenue deficits faced by MSRDC. The government has also directed that construction priority be given to the stretch coinciding with NHAI’s Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway Spur between Morbe and Karanjade.