Mumbai (Maharashtra): The country's largest sea bridge Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, which is named after former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will be dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12.
The Prime Minister, who laid the foundation stone of the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Project, now named as Atal Setu, December 2016, will now inaugurate it in the presence of Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bias, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
About the Atal Setu (Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link): The MTHL project was first conceived in the early 1960s and was to be built in Navi Mumbai, between Mumbai and Uran. However, a number of obstacles prevented the construction plans from being realised. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) was given the bridge's building responsibility by the Maharashtra government in 2017. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) then provided an official development loan of about Rs 18,000 crore to facilitate the project's advancement.
Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will be connected by the 21.8 km Atal Setu. Following its opening, the bridge will rank as the 12th longest sea bridge globally and the longest in the nation. The bridge connects a 5.5-km land segment to the sea at a distance of 16.5 km. There are three lanes on each side of the six-lane sea connection highway.
The bridge was scheduled to be inaugurated and opened to the public on December 25, 2023 but a number of last-minute preparations, such as electrification and the building of poles and toll booths, caused the inauguration to be postponed until January. The MMRDA estimates that the bridge will cost roughly Rs 17,843 crore.
Which areas will be connected by the sea bridge? Starting from South Mumbai's Sewri, the bridge will cross via Thane Creek and conclude at Chirle village near Nhava Sheva.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Mumbai-Goa Highway, and the under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport are just a few of the important locations that the bridge will link. Sewri, Shivaji-Nagar, Chirle, and other strategic locations will also have interchanges on the bridge to guarantee effective connection and a smooth traffic flow.
Why is MTHL a game changer? The major advantages of the MTHL are twofold: firstly, it significantly shortens the trip between Mumbai and Pune. Secondly, it shortens the commute between Mumbai and the newly built Navi Mumbai Airport.
With the sea bridge, the two hours it currently takes to get from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai should just take 20 to 30 minutes. This becomes even more important in light of the current state of congestion on Mumbai's many public transportation systems and those surrounding it.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the project will reduce traffic at Mumbai's entry points, which will benefit the entire region. And since the new airport in Navi Mumbai is almost finished, the bridge will guarantee good connectivity from the mainland, especially in the morning and afternoon. Moreover, the MTHL will greatly simplify travel from central and south Mumbai to Panvel.
Furthermore, it has been calculated that the bridge's use will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 25,000 million tons per year and save one crore liters of fuel.
Cost of Travelling: The one-way toll for each automobile has been set at Rs 250. The return toll, which comes to Rs 370, will be 1.5 times the original toll. It is now the most costly toll road connecting Mumbai. The Bandra-Worli Sea Link charges a toll of Rs 127 for a round-trip and Rs 85 for a one-way excursion.
Interesting facts about Atal Setu: The six-lane Atal Setu bridge spans 5.5 km on land and 16.5 km over the sea, with a total length of approximately 21.8 km. In addition to being the longest land bridge in India, it is also the longest sea bridge. With an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system, the MTHL is the first sea bridge in India that permits cars to travel past toll booths at up to 100 kmph without stopping. A tremendous engineering effort, the MTHL contains a six-lane sea link with 16.50 kilometers built over the sea and 5.50 kilometers on land.
Officials from the Maharashtra government claim that the MTHL is an economic growth engine in addition to a transportation project. It will establish a new supply chain that will ease the flow of labor, completed goods, and raw materials between Mumbai and the mainland.
Speed restrictions: There will be speed limits for cars using the Atal Setu. The top speed limit for vehicles, including cars, taxis, light motor vehicles, minibuses, and two-axle buses, is 100 kmph. The official speed limit is 40 mph for the bridge's ascent and descent, emphasising safety.
The Mumbai Pune Expressway and the MTHL are purposefully connected, improving communication between the two key cities in Maharashtra. Contracts for the project were given out by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in November 2017. Due to the COVID-19, construction, which was initially expected to be finished in 4.5 years, was delayed by about eight months.
Exclusions on Sea Bridge- Motorbikes, autorickshaws, and tractors would not be permitted on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, as announced by officials. The purpose of this exclusion is to protect the sea bridge's safety and guard against any possible interruptions.
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