Maha appoints committee to decide on sea link project

The Maharashtra government has not yet taken any decision on scrapping contract with Reliance Infrastructure for the Worli-Haji Ali sea-link but will decide on the fate of the project after a committee dealing with the issue submits its report, public undertakings minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar said.

 The government has appointed the committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge BP Singh which would deal with all the issues concerning the project. Reliance Infrastructure is reportedly not keen to go ahead with the sea-link project if the coastal road project materialises as in that case many people might not be inclined to use the sea-link. The company wants an assurance from the state government that it would not initiate a coastal road project.

On whether Worli-Haji Ali sea-link will be scrapped if the coastal road project gets permission from the Union environment ministry, the minister said, "The government will take a final decision after the committee report is received." In 2010, the contract for building the sea-link project was awarded to Reliance Infrastructure and Hyundai Engineering and a new company called Reliance Sealink was set up. This company entered into contract with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). The five-km stretch was to be constructed at a cost of Rs 5,100 crore.