Atal Setu, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL)
Connectivity in India has increased over 22 times as PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) officially called the Atal Setu Nhava Sheva Link. The longest sea bridge in India, the project will significantly shorten travel time between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai, making it a huge boon to commuters.
Special Features
The 21.8-kilometer-long Mumbai-Trans Harbour bridge with six lanes has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 17,840 crore. The bridge was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on January 12, 2024, and will be operational for people from the very next day. The bridge has been named after one of India’s successful Prime Ministers, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It will reduce the travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa and South India.
The MTHL is among the world’s longest sea-bridges. It features a six-lane sea link, with 16.50 kilometres constructed over the sea and 5.5 kilometres on land, making it a remarkable engineering feat. Traffic snarls on both sides for the bridge will become history as vehicles will zip through the bridge in barely 20 minutes without affecting the Ramesar Site Flamingo sanctuary below it, he added.
Construction on this project began in 2017 and was initially expected to be completed in four and a-half years’ time. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and technical issues pushed the opening by a bit. However, it’s important to note that the MTHL was envisioned around 30 years ago, with the aim of speeding up travel between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
According to Sanjay Mukherjee, the metropolitan commissioner of Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the steel used for the construction of the bridge is 17 times that of the Eiffel Tower and equivalent to the weight of 500 Boeing aeroplanes. “The structural steel used is four times that of the Howrah Bridge. The concrete used is six times that of the Statue of Liberty in the US,” he said.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said that the MTHL would prove to be a game-changer for speedy development. “The MTHL links Navi Mumbai, Raigad and other cities which would result in in attracting new development projects and big corporations to his area, and the entire region will progress and prosper,” Shinde said.
Which Vehicles Are Allowed
Four-wheelers, including cars, taxis, light motor vehicles, minibuses, and two-axle buses, will be allowed to ply on the Trans Harbour Link which will further cut the travel time from the current two hours to about 20 minutes.
However, the Mumbai traffic police has said that certain vehicles won’t be allowed on the new bridge that goes from Sewri in Mumbai and concludes at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka in Raigad district. This includes motorcycles, moped, three wheelers’ tempos, autorickshaws, tractors, slow moving vehicles and animal drawn vehicles.
These vehicles will have to take the Mumbai-Port -Sewri exit and use the MBPT road near Gaddi Adda for further movement. It is yet to decide if buses will be permitted to use the bridge. According to Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, given its length, its usefulness for bus passengers was being looked into. The absence of bus stops along the bridge has also contributed to the uncertainty about bus services.
Speed and Tolls
Speed limits have also been placed on the Harbour Link. The maximum speed limit for four wheelers has been set at 100 kmph and this will drop to 40kmph during the ascent and descent of the bridge aiming to ensure safety and prevent disruptions. Tolls have been fixed at Rs 200 from Sewri to Shivaji Nagar and Rs 300 for the Shivai Nagar-Gahvan stretch.
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