Mumbai: Fishermen oppose Versova-Virar link over livelihood loss

While there has been talk about how the 43-km-long Versova Virar Sea Link (VVSL), to be constructed at an estimated cost of over Rs 60,000 crore, will help ease traffic between Andheri and Virar on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, the fishermen community in Malad, Manori is opposing the ongoing geotechnical survey. On Thursday, some fishermen from the coastal villages of Madh, Bhati and Marve, protested against the project as it threatens their livelihood.

During the 153rd MMRDA meeting chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde in October 2022, it was decided that the VVSL project would be executed by MMRDA. The project is expected to bring huge relief for motorists. In April this year, MMRDA invited tenders to carry out a geotechnical investigation for the project.

The general secretary of the Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti, fisherman Kiran Koli from Madh village, said, "Hundreds of small fishermen and their families are dependent on fishing activities in the area from where the VVSL is set to pass. The project will displace small fishermen communities dependent on fishing and their livelihoods will be affected. We are not against development but it cannot come at the cost of our livelihood. Fishermen from Madh, Gorai and Uttan belts are protesting against the project because the authorities are not taking us in confidence before carrying out their survey or any activity related to the project."
Japanese government and agencies have shown a desire to engage with the Maharashtra government on the VVSL project.

According to a report, the VVSL project involves the construction of a 43 km road over the sea around 1 km off the coast of Mumbai, and of approximately 40 km of suburban roads, including connector roads and junctions (earthwork and elevated), bringing the total road construction to around 83 km.

In the marine road section of the sea link, there are six navigation channels from where ships will be able to pass and in the connector road, there are overpasses that require long spans.

40km
Length of connectors to be built for sea link

Green benefit

A document related to the project also mentions that the completed project will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "If VVSL project were realised, vehicles traveling on congested roads will be converted to project roads, which will result in reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This effect was calculated and estimated to be 1.2 lakh tonnes of CO2 reduction per year for the with-without comparison," read the document. The eight-lane VVSL will connect the Versova end of the Versova Bandra Sea Link Project to Virar. The VVSL will connect Charkop, Uttan, and Vasai, and help reduce travel time between Versova and Vasai by half. It is also possible that the journey time between Nariman Point and Virar would be reduced from three hours to one hour.