Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has declared that the coastal road in Mumbai, linking Marine Drive to the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL), will not have toll charges. This decision follows earlier reports suggesting the Maharashtra government’s consideration of a minimum Rs 250 toll on projects such as the Mumbai Trans Harbor Link (MTHL) and the coastal road.
CM Shinde revealed that the first phase of the coastal road will be accessible to the public by January 31. This phase, spanning from Worli to Marine Drive and including an undersea tunnel, will be completed by the end of January 2024. The remaining section is slated for completion by May 31, ensuring the entire corridor becomes operational.
The MTHL, named Atal Setu in honor of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, connects Sewri in Mumbai to Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka, Raigad district, with a project cost of Rs. 18,000 crore. CM Shinde emphasized that the MTHL would significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from two hours to just 20 minutes, providing relief from traffic congestion.
The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) is the nation’s longest sea bridge, linking Mumbai to the Mumbai-Goa Highway, Vasai and Virar, Navi Mumbai, and Raigad districts. Notably, the steel quantity used for its construction is equivalent to the weight of 500 Boeing airplanes and 17 times that of the Eiffel Tower, according to a release from the Maharashtra CMO.
