The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) is on the verge of becoming India’s longest sea bridge, poised to reshape connectivity between Mumbai and its satellite city, Navi Mumbai.
The MTHL project, initially proposed as the Uran Bridge in 1963, has overcome decades of challenges to reach its current milestone. In 2017, the Maharashtra government entrusted the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) with the project, adopting the Engineering – Procurement – Construction (EPC) model and securing a significant development loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Starting from Sewri in South Mumbai, the 21.8 km bridge spans Thane Creek, connecting vital areas like the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport, JNPT Port, Mumbai–Pune Expressway, and the Mumbai–Goa Highway. Strategic interchanges at key points ensure optimal traffic flow, linking Mumbai and Navi Mumbai to major expressways and the upcoming airport.
The MTHL comprises a 16.50-km sea stretch and a 5.5-km land stretch, featuring a six-lane highway with an emergency lane. Notably, it introduces seven orthotropic steel deck (OSD) spans, a novel solution in India. The OSD’s lightweight and flexible nature offer advantages like quicker assembly, easy replacement, and direct weight-bearing capacity.
Overseen by MMRDA, the project’s estimated cost is Rs 17,843 crore, with 91% of the funds utilized by November 2023. General consultants, including AECOM Asia Company Ltd., PADECO Co Ltd, Dar Al-Handasah, and TY Lin International, manage the project’s various aspects.
Expected to ease Mumbai’s congestion and enhance connectivity, the MTHL aims to reduce travel time between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai by 30-45 minutes during peak hours. With an initially projected completion date of September 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic caused some delays, and the bridge is now anticipated to be finished in January 2024. However, there is speculation that it might open to the public by the last week of December 2023, with the BJP Maharashtra unit suggesting an inauguration on December 25, 2023, coinciding with the birth anniversary of the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after whom the bridge is named.
