Officials are still deciding on bus services for this toll road, which is anticipated to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as Atal Setu Nhava Sheva Sea Link, is ready to open for traffic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate it on Friday. The bridge, built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) over seven years, is the longest sea bridge in the country and designed to last a century.
It promises a quick 20-minute drive from Sewri to Chirle, significantly reducing travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. However, decisions about bus services on this toll road are still being worked out by transportation authorities.
The MTHL includes three interchanges connecting various highways and roads. The MMRDA’s quarterly progress report suggests a significant increase in traffic, from 39,300 cars in the opening year to an estimated 1.03 lakh cars by 2032.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation is still thinking about starting bus services on the MTHL bridge. Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar mentioned to The Indian Express that they are figuring out how the bridge, being quite long, can be beneficial for bus passengers. The lack of bus stops on the bridge is also adding to the uncertainty about having bus services.
He highlighted the importance of checking how many people in the less crowded areas near the Chirle and Ulwe interchanges would want to use the bridge. While toll fees are not the main focus, the number of passengers is a major consideration for deciding on public bus services, especially because the municipal corporation runs buses to Mumbai, mainly for office-goers, along the Mantralaya route.
Likewise, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), which is a part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, has not decided on introducing bus services on the MTHL bridge due to uncertainties about how toll payments will work.
The Maharashtra government has mentioned a toll of Rs 250 for one-way single-journey vehicles, but tolls for other types of vehicles have not been revealed yet. According to the MMRDA quarterly project report from January to March 2023, a toll of Rs 550 for buses was suggested.
Meanwhile, the cash-strapped BEST, which incurs toll charges at Mumbai’s entry points owing to its services in Navi Mumbai and the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation areas, wants toll-free access to the MTHL, as per sources. However, a government decision in this matter is awaited.