mid-day takes a ride on the engineering marvel of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) to discover many firsts. The MTHL also known as Atal Setu named after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be inaugurated on Friday, January 12. Pics/Atul Kamble
Updated On: 2024-01-11 01:33 PM IST
Compiled by : Devashri Bhujbal
MTHL will be connecting Sewri with Nhava Sheva. It is said to be India’s longest sea bridge, a Rs 17,500 crore engineering marvel
The bridge will save commuters’ time to cover the 22-km distance. Typically, it takes motorists 90-120 minutes to travel between Sewri and Panvel during morning and evening peak hours
This bridge will also prove useful to motorists going from south and central Mumbai towards Panvel, Ura, JNPT, Pune and the Konkan via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway
Designed for a 100-kmph commuting speed, the bridge is expected to handle 70,000 passenger car units daily
The bridge also features India’s first Open Road Tolling (ORT) system, a toll collection method that allows cars to go through toll booths without stopping
On January 4, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved a plan to impose a toll of Rs 250 for a one-way car ride on the MTHL. MMRDA had planned to charge a toll of Rs 500 for a single trip, but after much debate the cabinet decided on a toll fee of Rs 250
The bridge has been engineered to withstand earthquakes, wind pressure and tides, ensuring a 100-year service life with special corrosion-resistant admixtures and materials
The project involved global collaboration with experts from over 10 countries and 15,000 skilled labourers working round the clock in three shifts
The MTHL, officially named the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, is a record-breaking breakthrough in connectivity, infrastructure, and technology