India’s Longest Sea Bridge ‘Atal Setu’ in Mumbai: A Testament to Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Vision

Introduction

On January 12, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as Atal Setu, the country’s longest sea bridge. The 21.8-kilometre-long sea bridge, named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has been built at a cost of more than Rs 17,840 crore. The bridge, connecting South Mumbai to Navi Mumbai (between Sewri and Nhava Sheva), will reduce the current two-hour journey to just around 15-20 minutes.

Features and Benefits

Atal Setu is the longest bridge in India and also the longest sea bridge in the country. It will provide faster connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport and will also reduce the travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and South India. Additionally, it will improve connectivity between Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port, as stated in an official release.

The bridge is approximately 21.8 km long, featuring a six-lane bridge with around 16.5 km over the sea and about 5.5 km on land. The bridge aims to enhance connectivity to both Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport, reducing travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and South India. Additionally, it will improve connectivity between Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port, as stated in the release.

The bridge has been constructed using state-of-the-art technology and engineering techniques. It has been designed to withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude 7 on the Richter scale and strong winds of up to 200 km per hour. The bridge also has a dedicated cycle track and pedestrian walkway along its length.

Vision and Future

The foundation stone of the bridge was laid by PM Modi in December 2016. The bridge is a testament to the vision of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had envisaged a trans-harbour link between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in 1998. The bridge is expected to boost the development of the ‘Third Mumbai’, a planned residential, commercial and business node in Navi Mumbai.

The bridge will also be integrated with other infrastructure projects such as the Sewri-Worli elevated corridor, the Eastern Freeway-Marine Drive tunnel, the proposed Chirle-Palaspe connection with the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and the international airport in Navi Mumbai. These projects will make the Atal Setu accessible to people from a much wider geography and ensure that the western waterfront and the eastern waterfront of the island city are fully integrated with a web of tunnels and flyovers coming up in south Mumbai.

The Atal Setu is not only a marvel of engineering but also a symbol of national pride and progress. It is a tribute to the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had dreamed of transforming India into a modern and prosperous nation.