Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 Jan 2024, Friday inaugurated Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri – Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, India’s longest bridge and a major infrastructure project for Mumbai. The 21.8 km long bridge also holds the distinction of being the longest sea bridge in the country.
Governor of Maharashtra Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were present on the occasion. PM Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of Atal Setu in December 2016. After the inauguration, the PM travelled from Atal Setu and reached Navi Mumbai Airport site at Panvel.
Atal Setu aims to improve connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, namely Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad. The bridge aims to reduce travel time between Sewri and Nhava Sheva – from around two hours to just 20 minutes. It also shortens the route from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and the rest of South India. It will provide a faster route from the Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport and will also improve connectivity between the Mumbai Port and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port. The 6-lane bridge stretches for 16.5 km over the sea and about 5.5 km over land, making it the longest sea bridge, and the longest overall in India. The project was executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on an Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) basis with engineers and experts from across the globe.
It has been constructed at a total cost of over Rs 17,840 crore, as per MMRDA. The Japan International Cooperation Agency also sanctioned a loan of approximately 30,755 million yen for the project.
After the grand inauguration event of Atal Setu, the PM is now participating in a public programme at Navi Mumbai. Soon he will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over 12,700 crore rupees. These include the foundation stone for the underground road tunnel connecting Eastern Freeway’s Orange Gate to Marine Drive, the inauguration of the first phase of the Surya regional bulk drinking water project, Phase 2 of Uran-Kharkopar railway line and a new suburban station ‘Digha Gaon’ on the Trans-harbour line.
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