Atal Bihari Vajpayee Setu: The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), is under scrutiny following the appearance of cracks on its tar road exit towards Ulwe in Navi Mumbai. This sea bridge, the longest in India, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just over five months ago.
Congress has accused the government of corruption due to the newly-emerged cracks. However, the Maharashtra government clarified that the minor cracks were discovered on the approach road leading to Atal Setu, not on the main bridge itself.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole inspected the site on Friday, asserting, “The government is portraying that they are working for the people, but you can see the corruption here. They are filling their pockets and putting people’s lives in danger.”
Constructed at approximately ₹17,840 crore, the MTHL was inaugurated in January to enhance connectivity and reduce travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Patole emphasized the importance of maintaining the bridge named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and called for accountability.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) stated that the cracks were on the service road and not due to structural defects in the main bridge, ensuring no threat to the bridge’s integrity.
