Atal Setu inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) today. Built at a cost of Rs 21,200 crore, the ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu’ not only the longest sea bridge in India but also ranks 12th longest in the world.
— The bridge cuts travel time between Mumbai and Pune Expressway and will also provide connection to areas such as upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.
— The bridge starts from Sewri in Mumbai and ends at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka in Raigad district. It will shorten the distance between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai to just 20 minutes which took 2 hours earlier.
— The MTHL is a six-lane sea link, with 16.50 kilometres of the stretch on sea and 5.50 kilometres on land. The Maharashtra government has cleared a proposal to charge Rs 250 as a one-way toll for cars on the MTHL.
— 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.
Read More: Delhi Weather Update: Dense Fog Lowers Visibility, Will It Rain In City | Check Full Forecast Here
— The rates will be revised post-review after one year from the commencement of operations, as per the cabinet decision.
— Steel roughly around the weight of 500 Boeing planes and 17 times the weight of Paris’ Eiffel Tower was used for its construction.
— 70,000 vehicles are expected to use the bridge every day.
— 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”.
Read More: Vodafone Idea imposed Rs 13.16 crore penalty in GST case
— 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.
