The proposed sea bridge connecting Sewri and Nhava Sheva (JNPT), the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), is anticipated to open soon. It won’t just shorten the distance between south Mumbai and Navi Mumbai; it will also benefit travellers going to Pune and Goa.
MTHL is anticipated to reduce traffic congestion in the island metropolis and to advance Navi Mumbai’s economic growth. Sewri, Shivaji Nagar, and Chirle would serve as transfer points for the route.
Construction of the 16.5-kilometre-long MTHL deck is now underway in India’s financial capital to help with the city’s traffic difficulties. According to reports, the MTHL deck will be finished by Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
The MTHL’s brand-new segment will cut the distance between Mumbai and Pune by 90 minutes. However, visitors will need to wait a bit longer for hassle-free travel on the road because the connection won’t be ready for vehicles until the complete sea link’s deck is finished.
Beginning in Sewri in South Mumbai, the bridge would span Thane Creek to the north of Elephanta Island before coming to an end in Chirle close to Nhava Sheva. The route will have connections to the Mumbai-Pune Motorway in the east and the Coastal route, which is still under development, in the west.
After being officially opened, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link will be the longest sea bridge in India and be able to accommodate close to 70,000 vehicles. MTHL will use an elevated corridor to connect Mumbai to the Mumbai-Pune Motorway, according to MMRDA. With the trans-harbour link, travel time between Mumbai, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Lonavla, etc. will be drastically cut.
Additionally, improved communication between Mumbai and other regions like Goa and Nagpur would result from the construction of this bridge. The Open Road Tolling (ORT) system will be installed for the first time on this bridge. It implies that drivers can continue on their way without stopping to pay the tolls.
After MTHL is finished, MMRDA will begin work on waterproofing, paving and building crash barriers at the sea link. Additionally, the authority will start putting up street lamps, CCTV cameras, and toll facilities.
In addition, there are plans to install cameras with artificial intelligence that will help to ease traffic congestion, according to TOI. Traffic officials would be able to monitor vehicle breakdowns with the aid of these AI cameras and take quick action to prevent traffic jams.
The government will spend about 18,000 crores on the MTHL project.