India’s First Sea Bridge Will Be Completed By This Year End: Report

The first sea bridge in India will allow commuters to drive past the tool booth at speeds of up to 100kmph without slowing down to pay the toll charge.

India's longest sea bridge, the under-construction Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), will be the first sea bridge in India to have an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system, reported NDTV.

It said the bridge under construction will come up at a cost of around Rs 18,000 crore, the MTHL, after completion, will cater to around 70,000 vehicles. 

It said the 16.5 km long deck that will be completed by May 24. 

“Around 95% of the work has been done, and the bridge will be completed before the year-end,” it said.

"Work on structures is almost complete. Tomorrow evening, at an event, we are going to connect the bridge to the mainland. The remaining work -- road laying, electrical, intelligent transport system (electronic tolling) -- will be done after the event. It is possible to achieve the target we set two years ago, to finish by December end this year," the report quoted SVR Srinivas, the commissioner of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority. 

“The bridge is not just an engineering marvel, but also an engine of economic growth,” the report quoted Srinivas as having said.

“This bridge will connect Mumbai to the mainland with a commute time of 12 to 15 minutes, cutting down significantly from several hours it takes today… it will facilitate ease of movement for raw materials, finished goods, and labour, creating a new supply chain between Mumbai and the mainland,” the above official was quoted as having said.

“MTHL aims to connect Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, the financial capital's satellite city, in order to mitigate traffic congestion and promote economic development. The bridge will begin in Sewri, South Mumbai, will cross Thane Creek north of Elephanta Island, and will terminate at Chirle near Nhava Sheva,” it stated.