Cracks On Atal Setu? Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole Raises Safety Concerns, Govt Official Clarifies

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Friday conducted an inspection of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Seva Atal Setu in Navi Mumbai and raised concerns over people’s safety after cracks were seen on the newly inaugurated sea bridge, also known as Atal Setu.

However, soon after Patole’s claims, government officials visited the site and clarified that the cracks actually appeared on the service road connecting the bridge to the city.

The 21.8-kilometre-long sea bridge, also known as Atal Setu, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January this year. Touted to be the country’s longest sea bridge, it was built at a cost of more than Rs 17,840 crore.

As per the visuals shared by news agency PTI, Patole visited the site and expressed his worries over the potential threat to people’s safety due to the structural issues of the bridge.

 Minor Cracks Due to Rain: Mumbai Official

Meanwhile, on the emergence of the cracks, Atal Setu Project head, Kailash Ganatra clarified that cracks did not appear on the newly inaugurated Atal Setu but on the service road connecting it to the city. He stated the service road was built as a temporary connecting route at the last minute due to the absence of a coastal road.

Ganatra further while responding on the appearance of the cracks on the road said that those were just minor cracks caused due to the rains and would be filled up by tomorrow evening.

For the unversed, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, which is commonly known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), is India’s longest sea bridge, spanning 21.8 km, with a significant portion extending over the sea, measuring 16.5 km. It serves as a crucial route, witnessing the movement of over 70,000 vehicles daily.

The bridge aims to enhance connectivity to both Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport, reducing travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and South India.