India’s longest sea bridge to open on December 25

The Maharashtra BJP released a video on Monday claiming that the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), India's longest sea bridge, would be accessible to the public on December 25. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), responsible for the project's construction, expressed surprise at the challenging deadline since many tasks are pending.

The MTHL, spanning 21.8km and connecting Sewri in Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai, features six lanes, each 3.5 meter wide, and is described as a "dream project" by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, the Maharashtra government has not announced the bridge's inauguration, despite Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis driving a vehicle on its deck during a visit in June.

MMRDA officials disclosed that essential components necessary for making the stretch suitable for vehicular traffic are still outstanding, making it challenging to meet the December 25 deadline. Although deck work is nearing completion, involving the installation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) like Toll and Transport Management System and Equipment, remains incomplete and is unlikely to meet the deadline. The tender for these systems was awarded in April of the current year.

While civil work is expected to be completed by December, officials anticipate that the technological systems crucial for the project will require additional time. Recently, questions have been raised about the project's effectiveness due to concerns about insufficient traffic dispersal roads to ensure smooth traffic flow from the bridge.

The concept of establishing a link between Mumbai's Island City and the mainland was initially introduced in 1962. Initiating a feasibility report for the project took the Maharashtra government nearly 34 years, starting in 1994. Bureaucratic hurdles kept the project stagnant for a decade until the study was updated in 2004, leading to the issuance of tenders in 2006. In 2017, the project saw a revival when the MMRDA entered into an agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency. This agreement involved the provision of a development loan amounting to Rs 18,000 crore. Project activities commenced in April 2018, with a projected completion date of mid-2023.