Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated
the Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL), India's longest sea bridge, also known as
Atal Setu. This
six-lane bridge, spanning 21.8 km, has been dedicated to the memory of former Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The construction of this bridge, undertaken at a
cost of Rs18,000 crore, marks a significant infrastructure achievement.
177,903 metric tons of steel, equivalent to
the weight of 500 Boeing airplanes and 17 times that of the Eiffel Tower's
weight was used for its construction.
Atal Setu links Sewri in Mumbai and NhavaSheva of Uran
taluka in Raigad district. Due to it, the travel time between Mumbai and Navi
Mumbai will be reduced to just 20 minutes, which earlier took 2 hours. It is
expected to boost economic development in Navi Mumbai and other nearby areas.
Authorities believe it will also resolve the problem of traffic jams in the
region.
The bridge will also reduce the distance
between Mumbai and Pune Expressway. And will provide connection to areas like the
under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport. 70,000 vehicles are
expected to use the bridge every day.