"Mumbai trans harbour link is a bridge of possibilities"

File Photo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), a monumental infrastructure project built at a cost of Rs 21,200 crore. Named 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu,' this bridge stands as the longest sea bridge in India and ranks 12th globally.

Beginning from Sewri in Mumbai and concluding at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka, Raigad district, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link significantly reduces travel time between Mumbai and Pune Expressway, now providing a seamless connection to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.

A senior IAS officer Sanjay Khandare said that Mumbai Trans Harbour Link was a moment to cherish for him as he helmed the project for four years.

Khandare, a 1996 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, was in charge of the ambitious project, then known as Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, for four years till February 2020, as the then Additional Metropolitan Commissioner of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), newswire PTI reported.

"This is a bridge not just of steel and concrete, but of possibilities. It unlocks new horizons for Mumbai and India, paving the way for economic growth and a brighter future," Khandare told PTI.

Khandare is now Principal Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Department of the state government.

Also read: Mumbai Trans Harbour Link: Guidelines for cars, taxis, light motor vehicles, minibuses and two-axle buses

"I feel very satisfied that I could contribute substantially in the implementation right from approvals, particularly those pertaining to environment and forest departments, as the bridge passes through a very eco-sensitive area having mangroves, a flamingo sanctuary and an important installation like BARC," Khandare said.

The senior bureaucrat said work in the initial stages of the project involved dealing with undersea crude lines, land acquisition at both the ends of the sea link, engineering designs and also tendering and execution processes.

Atal Setu has been constructed at a total cost of Rs 17,840 crore. It is a 6-lane bridge having about 16.5 km length over sea and about 5.5 km on land.

It is the longest bridge in India and also the longest sea bridge in the country. It 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. (With inputs from PTI)