The inauguration of the Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL) on 12 January 2024 added a new milestone to the city’s infrastructure, aiming to reduce the commuting woes between south Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by cutting down the road traveling time from the earlier 2.5 hours to the current 20 minutes. What is more, the bridge, also called Atal Bridge, provides much faster connectivities with JNPT, the Mumbai-Pune expressway, and the Mumbai-Goa highway from south Mumbai! Further, when the two coastal roads, one each in south Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, will be connected to the MTHL, as the MMRDA plan says, it will create a seamless corridor between Bandra and the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
What had been a vital infrastructure proposal but languished in cold storage for many decades through many governments is now a beautiful reality, the longest sea bridge in India and the 12th longest in the world as of date. How did this become possible? Because the pivotal force behind the MTHL was Devendra Fadnavis.
In March 2016, Devendra Fadnavis, then CM, announced that critical infrastructure projects that were shelved by the previous governments would be resuscitated. He particularly mentioned MTHL, coastal roads, NMIA, and a few metro lines. All these projects made significant progress in the remaining period of his government, and now being completed one by one because, with his return to the helm, the focus on development is back again.
Any project has 4 stages – conceptualization, approval for funds, clearance from the concerned authorities, and execution. While the concept of MTHL Mumbai was ready with the MMRDA, based on the original study and proposal made almost 6 decades ago, Devendra Fadnavis worked relentlessly toward ensuring the funds and also clearances from the concerned departments in the central and state governments.
The clearances were obtained in 2016 itself. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in 24th December 2016. Devendra Fadnavis managed to secure 80% funding from JICA in 2017 at low interest, with PM Modi promptly providing a counter-guarantee for the loan. The construction started on 24th April 2018.
A look back at the half-hearted attempts by the previous governments
First attempt
In 2004, the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh decided to give this project to MSRDC and build it on a PPP basis. An agreement was reached between IL & FS and MSRDC to carry out the project. However, due to unknown reasons, IL & FS distanced themselves from the project, causing it to hang on indefinitely.
Second attempt
In 2005, another attempt by the Vilasrao Deshmukh government was made to start the MTHL Mumbai project. This time the contract was awarded to Reliance Energy and Hyundai Engineering. However, this time both contracts were revoked by the MSRDC afterward, causing the awardee companies to appeal to the Supreme Court against MSRDC, and the project got shelved again.
Third attempt
In 2008, the MTHL proposal was raised again during the Ashokrao Chavan’s government, resulting in the third attempt to start the project. However, due to the internal strife between the coalition partners Congress and the NCP, the project failed to take off. The NCP-majority MMRDA refused to fund the Vashi bridge extension and MTHL to the Congress-majority MSRDC, and the result is anybody’s guess.
Fourth attempt
3 years later, the MTHL proposal came up again in 2011, when Prithviraj Chavan was the Chief Minister. But despite the UPA government at the Centre, the Union Ministry of Environment denied approval to the project on the ground that the bridge would pass over a flamingo zone. Another reason was that, with no headway in the Navi Mumbai airport project, the MSRDC failed to secure lenders and investors for the Trans Harbor Link Road, causing the project to be shelved again.
The fifth and final attempt
Towards the end of 2014, Maharashtra got a new Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, a young, dynamic, and go-getter, much different from his predecessors. Devendraji decided to break the PPP system and do the project on an EPC basis. The project was transferred from the MSRDC, which had held it since 2004 without yielding any results, to the MMRDA. JICA from Japan showed interest in investing in MTHL Mumbai. Earlier, in 2013. Devendraji had visited Japan, which probably factored in getting 80% of the funding for the MTHL project from JICA in 2015, amounting to an investment of Rs. 13,500 crores. With Modi’s government at the center, Devendraji got the necessary approvals swiftly. for the project. Devendraji consulted the Bombay Natural Society over the Flamingo Flying Zone issue. As per the recommendation of the society, it was decided to install proper safeguards for the birds in the MTHL project. This was an example of how Devendraji overcame all the difficulties before starting the actual work of MTHL in 2018.
By September 2019, the construction of the pillars in the sea was also completed. However, before the first girder was placed on the pillars, there was a change of power in the state, defying the people’s mandate by Uddhav Thackeray to become the Chief Minister, by forming the MVA government through an unholy coalition among the Shivsena, Congress, and the NCP. After becoming Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray suspended or stalled most projects of the Fadnavis government. However, the MTHL project narrowly escaped. Later, during the Thackeray government, JICA stopped funding MTHL Mumbai, and the project cost soared by 1,000 crores due to 8 months of delay.
Fadnavis’s war room
From chasing environmental and coastal clearances to resolving compensation issues to getting around other obstacles for the prime infra projects, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made numerous significant decisions in the confidential setting of his ‘war room’. This ‘war room’ was established to drive essential infrastructure developments in the state and guarantee their timely completion. Fadnavis expedited the progress of nearly 30 infrastructure projects through this ‘war room’, establishing it as an effective administrative tool. The war room disrupted the traditional process of documents being passed back and forth between different departments, causing delays in decision-making.
MTHL – Technical data at a glance
| Official name | Nhava Sheva Atal Setu |
| Total length | 21.8 km.(16.5 km. on sea and 5.5 km. on land) |
| Capacity | 6 Lanes (3 Lanes in each direction) with 70000 vehicles/day |
| Start and End points | Startig at Sewri in South Mumbai and ending At Chirle, Uran Taluka in Navi Mumbai. |
| Engineering design done by | AECOM, PADECO, Dar AL- Handasah, and T.Y. Lin International |
| Constructed by | L&T Ltd., IHI Corporation, Daewoo E&C, Tata Projects, EFCON Strabag. |
| Design Life | 100 + years |
| Construction started on | 10th April 2018 |
| Construction finished on | 24th May, 2023 |
| Construction cost | Rs. 17,843 cr. |
| Allowed vehicles | Cars, Buses, and Trucks |
| Prohibited vehicles | Motorbikes, Autorickshaw, and Tractors |
| Speed limit | 100 km./hr. |
Modern road facilities with Open Road Tolling
The bridge pavement is made of a stone-based asphalt mix, providing a long-lasting and resistant layer that offers advantages such as extended pavement life, reduced traffic noise, better grip for vehicles, and clearer visibility of road markings. Drivers will experience a smoother journey on an improved surface and receive instant updates through interactive signs about traffic jams and warnings for accidents or other emergencies.
The MTHL or the Atal Setu bridge will introduce an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system instead of conventional toll booths and barriers. This system, which has been successfully used in Singapore, allows for the collection of tolls without vehicles having to halt. High-tech scanners and cameras can identify vehicles in motion, making it possible to collect tolls electronically. This approach brings numerous benefits, such as a better experience for commuters, improved fuel economy, enhanced safety, and financial savings. High-resolution cameras throughout the Atal bridge will keep an eye on traffic and support emergency services. The system is equipped with video technology to detect problems like vehicles that have stopped, taken the wrong way, or crossed the speed limit.
A transformational project
The Atal Setu Mumbai, with its futuristic design and commitment to high standards, is set to create a milestone in India’s infrastructure landscape. By linking south Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, this bridge will not only improve transportation but will accentuate the economic and social developments in this region, offering a more interconnected and sustainable future. The MTHL is expected to draw in business growth and boost economic activities, greatly affecting the entire Navi Mumbai area. The bridge is seen as playing a role in reaching a $0.25 trillion economy for the MMR. Cutting travel times from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai to just 30 minutes, areas such as Panvel and Ulwe are set for swift expansion.
Relief from the jam-prone daily commuting
In the past, the only routes to reach Mumbai’s main island from Navi Mumbai by road were the Airoli Bridge and the older Vashi Bridge. With the rising property prices in the mainland, increased opportunities, and rapid urbanization Navi Mumbai has seen swift growth, causing large-scale migration. This has caused a surge in daily commuting between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai leading to heightened traffic and congestion on the streets. However, the modern Mumbai TransHarbor Link, providing seamless travel and a high traffic capacity, has significantly reduced travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Cabinet Decisions
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