No Bikes, Autos Allowed On India’s Longest Sea Bridge, Speed Limit Is…

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), colloquially known as Atal Setu in honor of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is slated for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12. Recently, the Mumbai police outlined regulations for the use of this monumental sea bridge, the longest in India.

As per the police directives, four-wheelers on the MTHL will be subject to a maximum speed limit of 100 kmph. However, certain vehicles, namely motorcycles, autorickshaws, and tractors, will not be permitted to traverse the sea bridge.

Vehicles falling under the categories of cars, taxis, light motor vehicles, minibuses, and two-axle buses are subject to the 100 kmph speed limit, with a specific restriction to 40 kmph during the ascent and descent phases of the bridge. The imposition of these speed limits is aimed at addressing concerns related to safety, preventing obstructions, and minimizing inconvenience to the public, as articulated by an official source.

The MTHL, with an estimated cost of ₹18,000 crore, originates from Sewri in Mumbai and concludes at Nhava Sheva in the Uran taluka of the Raigad district. Notably, multi-axle heavy vehicles, trucks, and buses destined for Mumbai are barred from using the Eastern Freeway. Instead, they are directed to employ the Mumbai Port-Sewri Exit (Exit 1C) and navigate through the MBPT Road near ‘Gadi Adda’ for onward movement.

Several vehicle types, including motorcycles, mopeds, three-wheelers, autorickshaws, tractors, animal-drawn vehicles, and slow-moving vehicles, are explicitly restricted from accessing the MTHL.

This 6-lane sea link spans 16.50 kilometers over the sea and 5.5 kilometers on land. The MTHL is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, enabling motorists to cover the distance in just 20 minutes compared to the previous 2-hour journey.