Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the 22km long Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) on January 12th, the Maharashtra Chief Ministers Office said.Named after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Atal Setu will be Indias longest sea bridge. The 18,000 crore project connects Sewri in Mumbai with Nhava Sheva on the mainland.Speed Restrictions ImposedHowever, the Mumbai Police have introduced speed restrictions for safety reasons. Four-wheelers can go up to 100kmph while the ascent and descent limits are 40kmph. Motorbikes, auto-rickshaws and slow vehicles will be barred from the sea bridge. This initiative has been taken to curb danger, obstructions and inconvenience to the public, a Mumbai Police official said.6-Lane engineering marvel to cut travel timesHailed as an engineering marvel, the six-lane concrete bridge has consumed massive quantities of steel and cement. a total of 177,903 metric tonnes of steel and 504,253 metric tonnes of cement were used in the construction of the Atal Setu. It is tipped to slash travel times between the two cities from two hours to just 20 minutes once access points are enhanced. Currently, motorists can only enter Navi Mumbai from two links.Sea link to ease traffic congestionBy streamlining connectivity across the harbour, the bridge will significantly curb congestion in Mumbai while catalysing development on the mainland.When fully operational, motorists will be able to cross between the island city and Navi Mumbai in just 20 minutes as opposed to 2 gruelling hours presently. The Rs.18,000 crore project has been over a decade in construction before this weeks launch by PM Modi.
