Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Atal Setu — Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu on January 12. It is India’s longest sea bridge connecting south Mumbai with Nhava-Sheva in Navi Mumbai. Built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, the bridge is 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km long sea-link, and will provide faster connectivity to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, while also reducing travel time between Mumbai and Pune. The Prime Minister, on the occasion, had said that Atal Setu is a reflection of Viksit Bharat which will see development of all, where distances will decrease”.
India TV asked a similar question to its readers for their opinion: “Will the country’s longest sea bridge ‘Atal Setu’ prove to be a game-changer for Maharashtra’s development?” As many as 11,414 people voted in the Opinion Poll out of which 93 per cent believed that the bridge will prove to be a game-changer while 5 per cent of them do not think so. 2 per cent of the voters did not convey a yes or a no and opted for ‘Can’t say’.
Prime Minister’s vision is to improve the ‘ease of mobility’ of citizens by strengthening urban transport infrastructure and connectivity. The Mumbai Transharbour link (MTHL), now named ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri – Nhava Sheva Atal Setu’ has been built in line with this vision.
The maximum speed limit for four-wheelers on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link will be 100 kmph, while motorbikes, autorickshaws and tractors won’t be allowed on the sea bridge, the police said. The project consists of an approximately 22 km long 6-tier (3+3-lane, 2 emergency lane) bridge connecting Shivdi in Mumbai city and Nhava on the mainland.