Atal Setu Mumbai: PM Modi To Inaugurate India's Longest Sea Bridge Today; Check Unique Facts, Toll Price Here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) -- India's longest sea bridge during his visit to Maharashtra on Friday. The bridge, officially called as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, will get a go-ahead from PM Modi at around 3:30 pm on Friday in Mumbai.

Built at a cost of about Rs 17,840 crore, the Atal Setu bridge has shortened the distance between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from 2 hours to just 20 minutes. The foundation stone of the bridge was laid by PM Modi in December 2016.

The construction of the bridge is expected to bring significant relief to Mumbai residents, freeing them from the traffic congestion issue. The bridge is about 21.8 km long six-lane bridge having about 16.5 km length over sea and about 5.5 km on the land.

Here are some interesting facts about Atal Setu Bridge which everyone should know:

1. Atal Setu is said to have been constructed at a total cost of over Rs 17,840 crore.
2. The Mumbai Police has reportedly fixed the maximum speed limit for four-wheelers on the bridge at 100 kmph. Motorbikes, autorickshaws and tractors would not be allowed to run on it.
3. The bridge is expected to provide faster connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport. It will also reduce the travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and South India. It will also improve connectivity between Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
4. The bridge's construction involved several technologies that were used for the first time in India. A marvel of engineering, the quantity of steel that was used for its construction was equivalent to the weight of 500 Boeing aeroplanes and 17 times that of the Eiffel Tower's weight.
5. According to reports, around 177,903 metric tonnes of steel and 504,253 metric tonnes of cement were used to build the Mumbai Trans Harbour Sealink (MTHL).
6. According to ANI citing an MMRDA official, "One of the most important features of this bridge is its environmental sustainability. The Bombay Natural History Society, an organization that works for the environment, has also given a certificate of appreciation to this landmark."

Atal Setu: Toll price details

The toll rates for the Sewri-Shivaji Nagar (Ulwe) stretch have been fixed at Rs 200 and Rs 50 for the 2.5 km Shivai Nagar-Gavhan stretch. The toll for a return trip will be 1.5 times the one-way charge. Commuters can start using the Atal Setu or MTHL bridge from Saturday morning.