Why Atal Setu offers a smooth run only for SoBo-ites, for now

HT test drive revealed easy drive from SoBo to Panvel, while extra time was spent from Andheri and Ghatkopar

Mumbai: It’s two months since India’s longest sea bridge -- Atal Setu or the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) -- connecting south Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, was opened.

Hindustan Times conducted a test drive between Andheri to Panvel via Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) Bridge. (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

As the first excitement over the engineering marvel settled, HT did parallel test drives on both the new and old routes to test its viability for the public. This was the result: it took longer to reach Panvel via Atal Setu from the eastern and western suburbs compared to the tried-and-tested route after crossing Vashi toll plaza in Navi Mumbai. However, travel from South Mumbai to Navi Mumbai took 25 minutes less than the traditional route. (See route map.)

This is no cause for worry, as urban planners and transport experts said Atal Setu will become the road of choice only when the Navi Mumbai airport and proposed ‘Third Mumbai’, expected in five years, becomes a reality.

The test-drive

The journey from Prabhadevi started at 6pm. One vehicle took the MTHL, while the other ran on the old Sion-Panvel highway via Vashi. The eastern freeway made the journey smoother as we hit Atal Setu in 20 minutes. On crossing Thane creek, we faced traffic snarls brought on by trucks, tankers and multi-axles, and reached Panvel in 60 minutes, at 7pm. The other vehicle took the old route via Govandi and Vashi toll bridge to enter Navi Mumbai, and reached Panvel in 85 minutes.

Despite travelling an additional five kilometers to use MTHL, we saved 25 minutes, but shelled out ₹250 on toll.

When it comes to the western and eastern suburbs, taking the Atal Setu is not a wise choice at all, as our journeys from Andheri and Ghatkopar – two centrally located suburbs – revealed.

Starting from Andheri (East) railway station at 6.07pm, one of us took Atal Setu through the Eastern Freeway after entering from Wadala. The second opted for the Santacruz Chembur Link Road onwards to Govandi, Vashi on the Sion-Panvel highway to reach Panvel. There was a stark difference in travel time and distance covered between the old and new routes. The other vehicle travelling on Atal Setu took 117 minutes to reach Panvel, facing heavy traffic after crossing the sea bridge which has become a bottleneck.

The journey from Ghatkopar (East) to Panvel was not very different, as the ride through Atal Setu took 20 minutes more, after an extra 17 kilometers was added to the travel. Both vehicles started at 6:10 pm. While it took one 57 minutes to reach Panvel on the old route, it took 77 minutes running through MTHL for the other.

There is however a flash of optimism for now, as a Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Limited official noted – the burden on Vashi toll naka has slightly eased after MTHL started. “There were 2.35 crore vehicles plying on the Vashi creek bridge in 2022-23, which is close to 64,300 vehicles each day. After the sea bridge was opened, there has been a 10% decline in traffic here,” said the official.

MTHL: Looking into the future

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) ambitiously hoped to get 70,000 vehicles on the sea bridge each day. Two months since its inauguration, statistics have revealed a daily average of 29,000 vehicles plying on Atal Setu. In the first month (January 13-February 13) 8,13,774 vehicles ran on the stretch, bringing ₹13.95 crore in toll collections.

The figures have not disheartened authorities at MMRDA, who have said it is too early to predict the efficiency of the sea bridge, which has been built to last 100 years. Its real function will be realised only when the Navi Mumbai stretch is urbanised, and more importantly, the Navi Mumbai Airport is up and running.

For now, to inspire movement the government has begun routing public transport through MTHL. On Thursday, BEST flagged off the first Chalo Premium bus service, which will take people from the World Trade Centre in south Mumbai to CBD Belapur. The service will run four times a day on a maximum fare of ₹225, which can be booked on the Chalo app. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) is also runs its bus service between Nerul and Mantralaya where the maximum fare is ₹90.

Chetan Bordawekar, honorary secretary of an NGO, Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai/ Suburbs, said the sea bridge is of little use for those living in the suburbs; only south Mumbaikars can save time travelling the route for now. “This is the big picture – to develop the other side of Atal Setu; the sooner the better. The route will become busy only when there is a mix of corporate offices, commercial and residential spaces in Ulwe, Uran and other areas beyond MTHL. Government should augment the scope of running cheaper public transport to incentivise travel on MTHL. Right now, only those residing in south and central Mumbai will benefit from the new development,” said Bordawekar, a resident of Mulund.

Those in the know say the Navi Mumbai airport, expected to start operations in the end of this year or early 2025, will spur traffic movement as both domestic and international flights will operate from here. Additionally, the plan to develop Third Mumbai for which the government has identified 124 villages spread over 323 square kilometers around Ulwe and Panvel, will encourage movement on the bridge. People may even move residences in these parts.

This development will enable Mumbai and its metropolitan region to achieve USD 0.25 trillion economy in future by making the area beyond MTHL economically viable, which will enhance the value of land.

“We usually address any infrastructure project as being ‘too little too late’. However, in the case of Atal Setu, we can say it is a case of a ‘bit sooner than required’. This sea bridge has been timed with the airport under construction, while the state machinery is also working on the plan for Third Mumbai very seriously,” said urban planner Paresh Rawal.