India, June 27 -- Usually, an infrastructure project subject to delays in completion witnesses a sizeable cost escalation. This time around, however, a project's cost has been trimmed by nearly 40% by deleting some of its components and changing its design. This is the Uttan-Virar Sea Link (UVSL), to be implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The changes happened on the directive of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday.

As per the estimates and plans prepared by MMRDA and submitted to the state government this January, the project had an estimated cost of Rs.87,427.17 crore. This involved constructing 55.12 km of road-the main sea link component at 24.35 km and the three connectors combined at...