TRANS HARBOUR LINK PROMISES EXTENSIVE GROWTH

BY Sajana

MTHL IS OFTEN HAILED AS MMRDA’S DREAM PROJECT AND IT DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED THAT WAY. IT WILL TURN OUT TO BE THE LONGEST SEA BRIDGE IN INDIA, WHICH IS A PROUD ACCOMPLISHMENT ON ITS OWN.

WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES OF THE MUMBAI TRANSHARBOUR LINK?

Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) is a proposed 6-lane bridge (3 + 3) with one emergency lane on each of the 2 carriageways. The bridge will extend to about 21.8 km from Sewri in Mumbai to Chrile in Navi Mumbai. It will have four interchanges and each one of them will establish the bridge's connection to essential roadways. The interchanges will be located at Sewri in Mumbai and at Shivajinagar, SH-54, and NH-348 on Navi Mumbai side. Once the bridge becomes operational, the connectivity between Mumbai and places like Navi Mumbai, Goa, and Pune will be elevated to new heights.

CAN YOU THROW SOME LIGHT ON THE COSTING PART OF THE PROJECT?

The total cost of completion of the project is estimated to be around Rs. 20,000 Cr. This project is implemented with the help of Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the counterpart funding provided by MMRDA from its own funds.

WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL OF THIS BRIDGE IN TERMS OF OVERALL GROWTH FOR THE CITY?

It is hard to put a definite number on the numerous economic benefits of MTHL. However, it is assured that this project will render many economic benefits for years and years to come upon its completion. For instance, the distance between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will be substantially reduced thus saving the fuel and travel time of the commuters. This is just the tip of the iceberg because this project will pave the way for many business opportunities, thereby substantially contributing to the growth of Navi Mumbai, as well as Mumbai.

The travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will be significantly reduced. Reduction of about 30 to 45 minutes of travel time on a regular basis can introduce promising changes to people’s lifestyles. Beyond the significant improvement in connectivity, businesses will thrive in the regions close to the bridge in both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, leading to increased employment opportunities. From an economic standpoint, both Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will grow hand in hand, supporting the development of all the surrounding regions in the process.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES FACED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT?

Construction in marine area has its own challenges like scheduling construction activities depending upon tide times and height of tides. The cyclones in the monsoons of 2019 (Vayu), 2020 (Nisarga), 2021 (Tauktae) and 2023 (Biparjoy) posed challenges of another level. Another challenge no one could have ever anticipated was the pandemic, but we still ensured that the effect of it on the project would be minimal. Also, we have accounted for challenges like compensating fishermen for the changes to their livelihoods at an early stage. So, we were able to strategically navigate through every challenge we faced without any serious repercussions.

HOW MMRDA ENSURED SUSTAINABILITY IN THIS PROJECT?

MMRDA’s visions for our projects in the present, as well as the future, are imbued with the idea of sustainability and environment-friendliness. Resourceful use of fossil fuels is enforced by MTHL, which is a huge leap towards sustainability. Also, it brings a wide range of economic benefits to the cities as explained earlier. So, MTHL is arguably the epitome of sustainable development, as it contributes to the betterment of the environment, as well as economic development.

Tags : MTHL MUMBAI METROPOLITAN REGION DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MMRDA MUMBAI SANJAY MUKHERJEE METROPOLITAN COMMISSIONER at Sewri Shivajinagar