In a major development in the much ambitious Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) today started the bidding process for the project and the contract will be awarded in the next 5-6 months.
"Yesterday, we received the approval from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for funding the project and today we started the bidding process," Metropolitan Commissioner UPS Madan said at an event here.
He said in the next 5-6 months, the contract will be awarded for Rs 17,500 crore worth project.
The project completion deadline has been set at 2019, but the commencement is itself getting delayed.
There was delay in signing of loan agreement between Maharashtra government and JICA for the project where the state will borrow to the extent of 80 per cent of the total cost.
As per MMRDA's plan, the MTHL will have a total of six lanes, three in either direction. Of the total 22-km, 16.5-km will be bridge component and the balance would be on coast at Sewri and Nhava.
Earlier, there were plans to have a metro line for public transport on MTHL, but it has been shelved off by MMRDA officials to have a toll-based bridge.
