The Sewri-Worli Connector bridge will be completed within the next year, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Monday while reviewing the progress of 33 major infrastructure projects across the state. Expressing dissatisfaction over the slow pace of Mumbai’s metro rail projects, he directed implementing agencies to adopt advanced technology to accelerate work. The review, held in the chief minister’s “war room,” included key initiatives such as metro rail expansion in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), redevelopment of BDD chawls, the Dharavi redevelopment, the Thane-Borivali twin tunnel, and multiple road and power infrastructure developments across Maharashtra.
During the meeting, Fadnavis highlighted that agencies responsible for executing these projects had earlier identified 132 obstacles during a review session held on April 21. Of these, 63 issues have already been resolved in coordination with different state and central agencies, while the rest are expected to be sorted out soon. Stressing on timely delivery, Fadnavis assured the media that the Sewri-Worli connector, an important link for northbound and southbound traffic in Mumbai, will be completed within a year. He confirmed that all pending issues related to the connector will be settled within a month.
The construction of the Sewri-Worli connector requires the demolition of the historic Elphinstone Bridge in Parel, built during the British era. Local residents had raised objections, citing uncertainties about rehabilitation plans for people living in nearby dilapidated structures and concerns about traffic congestion once the bridge is removed. Addressing these concerns, Fadnavis assured that rehabilitation measures are being considered. Shifting focus to metro projects, he instructed agencies to fix strict deadlines for their completion and also emphasized that housing projects should be developed near the terminal stations of every metro line for long-term planning.
Fadnavis also revealed that the first set of redeveloped homes under the BDD chawl redevelopment project will be handed over to beneficiaries next week. On other projects, he said tunneling work between Orange Gate and Marine Lines has already commenced, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been directed to fast-track its deadline. Land-related issues with the Mumbai Port Trust, which had previously stalled progress, have now been resolved through discussions with central officials. The chief minister further directed agencies to finish all infrastructure projects within three years of initiation, using modern techniques to avoid unnecessary delays.
To ensure accountability, Fadnavis instructed all implementing agencies and state departments to upload project updates to the war room portal instead of monitoring them through individual dashboards. Stressing the importance of prioritization, he said that issues flagged during war room reviews should be resolved before the next meeting, while proposals requiring cabinet approval must be processed promptly. The chief minister added that breaking implementation deadlocks is essential to keep projects on track. By centralizing monitoring through the war room, Fadnavis aims to ensure faster decision-making, better coordination among agencies, and timely completion of Maharashtra’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.