Surface distress on Atal Setu: ₹1 crore fine imposed, defect liability extended by a year
The contractor was directed to rectify the problem within the next five days, failing which, they will have to face further action
Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has penalised Daewoo, the joint venture of Tata Projects, ₹1 crore for “minor surface distress” on the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri–Nhava Sheva Atal Setu.

At a meeting chaired by MMRDA’s Additional Metropolitan Commissioner Vikram Kumar, the contractor was directed to rectify the problem within the next five days, failing which further action will be taken.
The defect liability period of the joint venture, which was to expire in January 2026, has now been extended to January 2027.
The 21.8 km long Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project, worth ₹17,840 crore, was inaugurated on January 12, 2024.
Also Read: Atal Setu completes its maiden year
A video of the MTHL road damaged with potholes was circulated on Thursday. “If this patchwork is ‘World Class standard’ to you. Then we don’t know which standard you are following. It rains in every nation that exists, why we don’t see such kind of pathetic patchwork in other countries? The standard you are following must be the lowest (sic),” a user commented.
MMRDA on X acknowledged the problem and posted: “Minor surface distress seen on a few stretches of Atal Setu (at near km 11, 15 and 16 on Navi Mumbai bound carriageway) during the ongoing monsoon is largely due to exceptionally heavy rains and continuous traffic flow. MMRDA has already initiated immediate remedial measures. Instead of repairing only small spots, longer continuous stretches are being resurfaced with bitumen to maintain uniformity and avoid bumps, ensuring smoother rides for commuters. Parallely, mastic asphalt patching is underway to keep the carriageway safe and serviceable under wet conditions.”
Also Read: Atal Setu crosses 5 million vehicles landmark
The development body has also directed the contractor to undertake permanent resurfacing post-monsoon using high-grade dense bituminous macadam and asphalt concrete layers for long-lasting riding comfort and enhanced durability.
ABOUT THE AUTHORAteeq ShaikhAteeq Shaikh is a Senior Assistant Editor tracking real estate and infrastructure. With over two decades in journalism, he has reported extensively on topics such as metro rail, infrastructure projects, redevelopment in Mumbai, affordable housing, real estate, environmental issues and public transportation. His data driven stories explain the impact of public policy and large scale infrastructure projects on citizens' lives. His recent detailed report on the government's fireside sale of several real estate parcels in Mumbai or nearly one-fifth of habitable Mumbai triggered a signature campaign by activists and the civil society. This plan also faced pushback from people impacted by the government's decision, which he also reported on. Ateeq was instrumental in getting Mumbai Metro One Private Limited, a Public - Partnership (PPP) project, recognised under the Right to Information Act, the first PPP in India under the transparency law. His consistent campaign on technical issues plaguing the Mumbai Monorail, India's only such transportation system, forced authorities to publicly acknowledge the problems and work towards a permanent fix. Despite multiple attempts by the authorities, the system continues to be a white elephant in Mumbai.Read More
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