Mumbai to get India’s longest sea bridge by May 26; it will reduce travel time drastically for commuters

Billed the ‘longest sea bridge in the country’, the 16.5 km long deck of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Sea Link (MTHL), will be completed by May 26, government officials said on Tuesday. The MTHL will be the first bridge in India to have an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system and is expected to make travel from Sewri in central Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai smoothly possible in about 15 to 20 minutes, reducing travel time significantly for commuters on this stretch. Once the entire deck for the sea link is laid, vehicles will be allowed on the bridge, according to a report by Times Now. The sea bridge will be 22-km-long comprising 5.5 km via ducts on land on both sides while running over the sea. Nearly 70,000 vehicles are likely to travel across it daily in both directions. With this project, the government aims to alleviate traffic congestion and stimulate economic development in the region. It is a 6-lane road bridge plus 2 emergency lanes, spanning the harbour between Sewri on the Mumbai side and Chirle in Navi Mumbai on the mainland, and would be the longest sea bridge in India after completion. Estimated to cost around Rs 18,000 crore, the project is being implemented on a Design-Build basis with a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). After the deck launch, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will shift its focus to other tasks including– waterproofing, asphalting, and the construction of crash barriers along the sea link. The MMRDA will also commence the installation of CCTV cameras, lampposts, and toll infrastructure. With the ORT system, commuters would have a seamless passage through toll booths at speeds of up to 100 km without the need to slow down. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.