Fee for using India’s longest sea bridge may touch ₹500

MMRDA wants the toll to be calculated using the same yardstick as in the case of the Bandra Worli Sealink

Mumbai: Users of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), India’s longest sea bridge connecting Sewree in Mumbai with Nhava in Raigad district, may need cough up a steep fee of ₹500. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) which is in last phase of completing the project has proposed ₹500 as one-way toll for the 22 km sea link, while the state government has suggested ₹350. Chief minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the urban development department and is also the chief of MMRDA, is expected to take a final call on the matter soon.

Mumbai, India - Nov. 16, 2023: Top view of Mumbai Trans Hbr Link road after 98% work is completed in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, November 16, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

MMRDA wants the toll to be calculated using the same yardstick as in the case of the Bandra Worli Sealink. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, which constructed the sea link, charges a one-way toll of ₹85 for using the 4.2 km long bridge.

“We have to recover the huge sums we have invested in the (MTHL) project in past 30 years. If we start charging less money, then it upsets our statistics. We feel that the minister in charge of MMRDA must take a call on toll instead of low-ranking bureaucrats,” said a senior MMRDA officials.

The BJP which is part of the ruling alliance in the state wants the bridge to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on December 25, the birthday of former prime minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee. But MMRDA officials said the work will finish only by January 31 and the sealink will be ready after that.

The bridge uses orthotropic steel deck spans, ranging from 65m to 180m in length. Work in phase 4 of the project includes installing 1,212 electric poles, which is mostly complete. The poles are equipped with a central control and monitoring system and have been specifically designed to withstand the deep sea. Their features include corrosion-free polyurethane coating, galvanisation to prevent rust and prolong lifespan, structural design to withstand high wind velocities, and uniform illumination throughout the bridge. The poles will also be equipped with a lightning protection system to safeguard against potential damage caused by lightning.

The MTHL project is being implemented in three packages for civil works, with the fourth package focusing specifically on intelligent transport system, automated toll collection system and electrical works.

Once complete, MTHL will provide faster connectivity to various important locations, including the proposed Navi Mumbai international airport, the Jawaharlal Nehru port, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and Mumbai-Goa Highway. The improved accessibility will enhance transportation and contribute to the overall growth and prosperity of the region.