MUMBAI: The unveiling of the 21.8km Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), on Friday, is set to significantly reduce travel time for individuals commuting between south Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. However, its full potential will be realized upon the completion of additional projects, including the Sewri-Worli elevated corridor, the Eastern Freeway-Marine Drive tunnel, the proposed Chirle-Palaspe connection linking with the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and the international airport in Navi Mumbai.
Here are the 10 important aspects of MTHL:
Pathway to the Navi Mumbai international airport: Under construction since 2018, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) will offer a more direct pathway to the Navi Mumbai international airport, serving as the crucial second airport in the area following the completion of the Navi Mumbai Coastal Road.
Increase in Pune-bound traffic: The traffic to Pune too is expected to take a massive jump once the shortcut to the Expressway is built from the MTHL at the Chirle end across the harbour. At present, the distance from Chirle to Palasphe Phata, from where the Expressway starts, is 15km, a travel time of almost 25 minutes. The 6.5-km-long elevated route between Chirle and Palaspe will help cut down travel time to a mere five minutes.
Also for freight and bus operators: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) stated that in addition to accommodating passenger cars, the MTHL was also meant for freight and bus operators.
Toll at Rs 250: For the initial year, the toll for a one-way passage on MTHL is set at Rs 250, while the round-trip toll is Rs 375.
No toll queues: MTHL will have an open road tolling (ORT) system, which eliminates the need for boom barriers, eradicating the long queues typically observed at toll booths. The ORT system, already at work in Singapore, doesn’t require vehicles to halt for toll payment. Instead, advanced scanners and cameras identify moving vehicles and electronically collect toll. The advantages are numerous: enhanced commuter experience, fuel efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
See-through crash barrier: MTHL’s crash barrier has been kept at a height of 1.55 metre to ensure that views of the sea from car seats are not blocked. The barrier comprises a concrete section, of 90cm height, and a metal rail above it, with a gap between the two. MMRDA had originally planned a solid wall, but shelved it as that would have created a disconcerting tunnel effect along MTHL’s entirety.
Dynamic displays: Motorists will have real-time information through dynamic displays, which includes messages for traffic congestion and alerts in case of accidents or emergencies.
Special recyclable road surface offers smooth ride: MTHL took more than 14,000 skilled workers to put together and had over 5,000 workers toiling on it at any given time. Larsen & Toubro, Tata Projects, Japan’s IHI Corporation, Daewoo Engineering and Strabarg Infrastructure of Austria were the companies that executed the project incorporating many technological features. The bridge is paved with stone matrix asphalt, which has a high percentage of crushed, durable stone aggregates and a specialised asphalt binder. SMA roads promise 20-30% increase in pavement life and high resistance to variation in temperature. It also demonstrates better adhesion between aggregate and bitumen, reduces traffic noise, improves wet-weather skid resistance and enhances pavement marking visibility. Motorists can expect a pothole-free ride, irrespective of weather conditions. What’s more, SMA pavements will be 100% recyclable at the end of their service life.
Surveillance and detection systems: A network of hi-definition cameras has been placed to monitor traffic and also facilitate emergency response. In addition, there is a video incident detection system (to identify stalled vehicles, unauthorised pedestrian movement, wrong-side driving, fires and obstacles) and a speed violation detection system (for penalising motorists who exceed MTHL’s 100kmph speed limit).
Special light poles: Environmentalists were concerned that lighting on MTHL would disturb marine life at night. But engineers have solved the problem by installing 1,212 special light poles that will illuminate only the carriageway without any luminous spill onto the sea.
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