Mumbai Trans Harbour Link: 100 km/h Speed, No Bikes and Auto Rickshaw Allowed
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), the country’s longest sea bridge, on Friday. The 21.8-kilometre-long sea bridge from South to Navi Mumbai (between Sewri and Nhava Sheva) will cut down the journey from the current two hours to just around 15-20 minutes.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who announced the inauguration of the bridge, said it would also bring economic development and growth in areas connected to it. The bridge, officially the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, has been built at a cost of Rs 21,200 crore, of which Rs 15,000 crore is by way of loans.
ALL ABOUT THE MUMBAI TRANS HARBOUR LINK
ATAL SETU TO CONNECT 2 LARGEST CITIES: Sharing a glimpse of the bridge, the BJP on X termed it a “new marvel of connectivity”. The bridge will further connect to the arterial Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which links the state’s two largest cities, officials told news agency PTI.
COMMUTERS WILL SAVE TIME AND FUEL
The MTHL will be a six-lane sea link, with 16.50 kilometres of the stretch on sea and 5.50 kilometres on land. With time-saving, commuters will also be able to save their fuel cost, which, according to an official, would be around Rs 500 per journey.
The rates will be revised post-review after one year from the commencement of operations, as per the cabinet decision, PTI reported.
THE SPEED LIMIT FOR 4-WHEELERS
Ahead of its launch, the Mumbai Police has said the maximum speed limit for four-wheelers on the MTHL will be 100 kilometres per hour, while motorbikes, autorickshaws and tractors won’t be allowed on the sea bridge.
Vehicles like cars, taxis, light motor vehicles, minibuses and two-axle buses will have a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour and the speed will be restricted to 40 kilometres per hour on the ascent and descent of the bridge.
The Mumbai Police said the speed limit curbs were imposed to avoid “danger, obstructions and inconvenience to the public”.
TOLL FOR CARS
The Maharashtra government has cleared a proposal to charge Rs 250 as a one-way toll for cars on the MTHL. On the decision, an official told PTI that the amount being charged was only half the amount as per existing rules of toll collection. A passenger car will be charged Rs 250 one-way toll, while charges for the return journeys as well as for daily and frequent travellers will be different.
Anand Mahindra, CEO of Mahindra Group, shared a video of the bridge on X, saying he “can’t wait to drive down this ‘golden ribbon’.” He also said through the MTHL, the “connectivity and commerce will be enhanced through the commitment of hard-working, talented engineers”.
RESTRICTIONS FOR HEAVY VEHICLES
Multi-axle heavy vehicles, trucks and buses heading towards Mumbai will not have an entry on the Eastern Freeway, an official of the Mumbai Police told PTI. These vehicles will have to use the Mumbai Port-Sewri Exit (Exit 1C) and take the MBPT Road near ‘Gadi Adda’ for further movement.
Read Also: Mumbai Trans Harbour Link: 10 points to know
