Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole recently inspected the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Seva Atal Setu in Navi Mumbai and raised concerns about public safety after noticing cracks near the newly inaugurated sea bridge, also known as Atal Setu.
Following Patole’s inspection, government officials quickly visited the site to address his concerns. They clarified that the cracks were not on the sea bridge itself but on the service road connecting it to the city.
The Atal Setu, a 21.8-kilometre-long sea bridge inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January, is the longest in the country and was constructed at a cost of over Rs 17,840 crore.
Patole, sharing visuals of his visit via PTI, expressed his worries about the potential safety risks posed by these structural issues. However, Atal Setu Project head Kailash Ganatra clarified that the cracks appeared on the temporary service road, built hastily due to the absence of a coastal road, and were minor and caused by recent rains. He assured that these cracks would be repaired by the following evening.
The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Seva Atal Setu, also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), spans 21.8 km, with 16.5 km extending over the sea. This crucial route sees over 70,000 vehicles daily, significantly enhancing connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport. The bridge also aims to reduce travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and South India.