‘Minor’ cracks found on approach road connecting Atal Setu, says MMRDA

Patole, who inspected the bridge during the day, claimed that the construction quality of the bridge was poor and that a portion of the road has caved in by one foot

Mumbai: Hours after Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole alleged that cracks have emerged on Atul Setu sea bridge within months of its inauguration, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Friday clarified that minor cracks were found on the approach road in Ulwe, which is not a part of the bridge but a service road connecting it.

**EDS: IMAGE VIA @NANA_PATOLE** Mumbai: Congress leader Nana Patole looks at the crack appeared on the "Atal Setu" bridge, in Mumbai, Friday, June 21, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI06_21_2024_000415B) (PTI)

Patole, who inspected the bridge during the day, claimed that the construction quality of the bridge was poor and that a portion of the road has caved in by one foot.

However, the ruling BJP and MMRDA, which is the nodal agency for the project, stated that the cracks are not due to structural defects in the project and do not pose any threat to the structure of the bridge.

The ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu’, also known as the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), that connects south Mumbai with the satellite city of Navi Mumbai, was inaugurated in January this year. Built at a cost of ₹17,840 crore, this six-lane bridge is 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km sea-link.

According to MMRDA, these minor cracks were already noticed at three places on Ramp No. 5, from Ulwe towards Mumbai, on Thursday during an inspection by the Operation and Maintenance Team of the Project and require immediate repair. Strabag, the contractor of Package 4 of the Atal Setu project, has started the repair work in the said area and the work will be completed within 24 hours without any disruption to the traffic on the bridge.

After the inspection, Nana Patole addressed the media persons and said, “This road was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi. Around half a kilometre of road has sustained one-foot-deep cracks in it, which indicates the level of corruption in this government. They are not even worried about the public.”

Reacting to the Congress leader’s allegations, BJP said on X that the cracks seen are not on Atal Setu but on the road leading to the bridge.

The MMRDA contractors have already commenced the repair work, which will be completed within 24 hours. This work is being carried out without causing any disruption to traffic, the agency added. In his statement, Fadnavis said, “The pictures circulated by the Congress are of the approach road. The Congress has a long drawn plan to spread lies against us changing the Constitution, unlocking EVM with mobile phones and now this.”

Patole also alleged that Eknath Shinde-led state government has crossed all limits of corruption and they are putting people’s lives at risk. “The bridge has been named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and yet the government indulges in corruption. This is very unfortunate,” he said.