Atal Setu: Over 8000 vehicles enjoy first drive on the opening day of India’s longest sea bridge

Ilyas Shankla, a businessman from Bandra, also visited the Trans Harbour link road with his wife on Saturday. “The view is so beautiful,” he said. (Express Photo)

For most people who used the bridge, it was the novelty factor that drew them to it. Some, like Rajesh Sinha, an IT professional from Chembur, even tried visiting the bridge in the night but found it barricaded. He then drove for the second time on Saturday afternoon with his wife and their pet dog.

“He is so excited that we have made another plan with our friends to see the skyline tonight from the bridge,” his wife said. Like them, the 21.8 km-long Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smruti Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu link road was dotted with multiple parked vehicles on its inaugural day, as commuters enjoyed the sea breeze and clicked photographs.

The workers at the toll booth towards the Nhava Sheva end of the road said people turned up in droves to experience driving on the bridge. )Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Ilyas Shankla, a businessman from Bandra, also visited the Trans Harbour link road with his wife on Saturday. “The view is so beautiful,” he said.

Shankla added that he travels from Bandra to his office in Turbhe thrice a week. “With the bridge, I will save three hours of travel time to and fro,” he said.
Amongst the several commuters who stopped their cars on the sea link to enjoy the view, Karnataka-based Rajat Manjunath stood with his parents to click pictures. “We landed at the airport and took the taxi straight to this bridge,” he said. “We saw the news about its inauguration and wanted to see it ourselves.”

Avinash Bhagwat, a resident of Andheri, said he had been waiting for a long time to drive along the country’s longest sea bridge. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

While people spent Rs 375 for a return trip on the Trans Harbour link on Saturday, many said the toll was too expensive for a daily commute. A monthly pass for a car will cost Rs 12,500. “This is okay for a joy ride once in a while or for emergency travel. But for daily commutes, the toll price is really high,” said Sunil Dhepe, a Sanpada based resident.

Dhepe said a major advantage of the Trans Harbour link will be the decrease in congestion along the Vashi and Airoli bridges which connect Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

While people spent Rs 375 for a return trip on the Trans Harbour link on Saturday, many said the toll was too expensive for a daily commute. A monthly pass for a car will cost Rs 12,500.

For at least ten kms towards the Sewri end of the bridge, reflective glass has been placed on either side of it. A portion of the bridge also seals the view of the northern front where Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is located. At regular intervals, a digital sensor displays the speed of the vehicle passing by, and at every kilometre, a tiny board showss the length of the sea link that the vehicle has covered.

Avinash Bhagwat, a resident of Andheri, said he had been waiting for a long time to drive along the country’s longest sea bridge. “I had a wonderful driving experience, however, it serves no purpose to me as it is easy to travel to Pune Lonavala via Mankhurd highway since it is a shorter route than coming all the way to south Mumbai and taking MTHL from Sewri,” Bhagwat said.

Makeup artist Pratibha Rajput, an Ulwe resident, said it takes 1 hour 15 minutes to reach South Mumbai from her home. On Saturday when she used the Trans Harbour link to reach CST station to pick her father, it took her just 35 minutes. “The toll is high. But it saves a lot of time. If the government reduces toll charges, people will be able to better utilise the bridge.”

The workers at the toll booth towards the Nhava Sheva end of the road said people turned up in droves to experience driving on the bridge. “While paying the toll, the motorists kept telling us that the view from the bridge was beautiful and the drive was so pleasant.” However, they claim that the frequently asked question was about availing the benefit of a subsidised price on the return journey at Rs 375.

“The government is charging Rs 250 for a one way trip on the bridge. So if a motorist crosses the toll on their first trip then Rs 250 will be deducted from their Fastag account, however the benefit can be availed only if they return through the bridge within 24 hours. As another Rs 125 is deducted on their return journey,” explained a toll booth employee.