PM Modi to inaugurate 'Atal Setu' tomorrow; all you need to know about India's longest sea bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Maharashtra on Friday, will inaugurate the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) -- the longest sea bridge in the country. The bridge, officially known as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, will get a go ahead from PM Modi at around 3:30 pm on January 12 in Mumbai.

According to an official statement, Atal Setu has been constructed at a total cost of more than Rs 17,840 crore. It is about 21.8 km long six-lane bridge having about 16.5 kilometres length over sea and about 5.5 kilometres on the land. It is the longest bridge in India and also the longest sea bridge in India.

"The bridge will provide faster connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport and will also reduce the travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa and South India. It will also improve connectivity between Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port," the statement said.

The bridge is expected to drastically reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Currently, the journey takes approximately two hours, largely due to heavy traffic. However, with this project, the same distance could be covered in a mere 20 minutes. This development is set to bring significant relief to the residents of Mumbai, freeing them from the constant burden of traffic congestion.

The maximum speed limit on the MTHL will be 100 kmph for four-wheelers, according to a police announcement on Wednesday.

Motorcycles, autorickshaws, and tractors will be prohibited from using the sea bridge, the police said, as per PTI.

The speed limit for cars, taxis, light motor vehicles, minibuses, and two-axle buses will be 100 kmph, but will be reduced to 40 kmph on the ascent and descent of the bridge. The Mumbai police have set the speed limit to prevent "danger, obstructions and inconvenience to the public".

Meanwhile, during his visit to Maharashtra, PM Modi will inaugurate the 27th National Youth Festival as well. He will also participate in a public programme at Navi Mumbai, where he will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 12,700 crore.

Also Read: Ayodhya Ram Mandir:  Chhattisgarh approves annual free train scheme after declaring dry day on Jan 22

Also Read: Budget 2024: Centre may reduce budget gap by at least 50 bps, up capex by 20% in FY25, says report