[karan561]

Saturday night drove on this new bridge for the 1st time and had the opportunity to capture the magnificence of the Atal Setu (previously called the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link) at night. This exclusive 1st night POV style drive video previews the journey on the longest sea bridge of India.

https://youtu.be/wfg_MmgbRkU

The video also has some unfiltered sounds of the B58 singing & the M Performance exhaust making all the right noises.

Here are some pictures;



Taking the ramp for Atal Setu via Eastern Freeway (Mumbai);



India's longest bridge starts and the celebratory lights welcome us;



Soon ran into some traffic of cars which had illegally stopped to take selfies etc. Was a cause of concern but thankfully the cops were on the job & booking the miscreants.



Interestingly the updated maps on my M340i was detecting the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link;



A Nice roller;



When will this stop ?



The openness is really rewarding and relaxing;



The entire bridge is well lit up throughout which aids night driving;



Laser Show at the toll visible from a long distance;





The bridge is well designed & an engineering marvel. The road quality is also flawless & trust it will stay this way (BWSL road surface is still great). The Speed limit is 100 km/h which is ok (thankfully not 80 km/h, as that would have felt too slow). I believe I did not spot any speed cams (not sure), but plenty of CCTV's. The bridge surface is not flat, there are upslopes & dips may be to make way for ferry or ships to pass from under. Crossed the bridge in aprox. 15 mins to reach New Mumbai, a game changer for sure

[ex-innova-guy]

Originally Posted by drGicher

Attachment 2558211

OT- eagle eyed BHPians might also find the Versova-Bandra Sea Link which hasn’t even started I guess. Apple maps also shows some other roads too like the Thane-Borivali Tunnel Link road which is also still in works.

Originally Posted by gpagedar

But there was a great chance to create a landmark that could have been associated with Mumbai just as the Golden Gate Bridge is with SF. Or like the Bandra Worli sea link. I feel it is a huge missed opportunity.

There is a good reason to it; I had read online that they didn’t design Cable-stayed bridges due to the influx of migratory birds and that it can hamper their movement.

[ADI7YAK]

Originally Posted by ex-innova-guy

OT- eagle eyed BHPians might also find the Versova-Bandra Sea Link which hasn’t even started I guess. Apple maps also shows some other roads too like the Thane-Borivali Tunnel Link road which is also still in works.

Apple Maps uses data from MapMyIndia which has few of upcoming projects already laid out on map according to their detailed project reports.

[Dippy]

I went for a spin on the MTHL yesterday evening and I have to say its brilliant. For me its like having a private driving road in my backyard.

Here is a video I shot yesterday:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2Fij...RlODBiNWFlZA==

And here is how the bridge looks like at dawn. Clicked these pics at 6.45 am. No filter.

[ruzbehxyz]

Took the bridge after opening.

Some observations:

1. Super smooth Tarmac, thankfully it’s not concrete surface, which usually is of poor construction. Example: New lanes of Mumbai - Pune expressway.
2. The approach roads are narrow two lanes.
3. Too complicated exits / entries, without proper signboards.
4. BARC is well covered, good from security point of view.
5. The Chemical jetties of Pirpau are not covered. Should be covered.
6. Toll lanes are less as usual(poor planning), and there is no space to expand because of hilly terrain, unless further blasting is done.
7. After the end of the bridge, motorists have to still travel another ~ 10 kms to Navi Mumbai Airport (in future). The bridge should have ended North of Ulwe so that Navi Mumbaikars can benefit also. Currently the time taken from Belapur towards South Mumbai via Eastern Freeway and the MTHL is almost same.
8. The Sewri Worli connector and the Ulwe / Panvel connectors towards the Pune Expressway have not being started yet. So currently the bridge is just a joy ride for motorists.

[Roark]

Originally Posted by devilking

The exit at Shivajinagar is operational and there is a toll gate after the exit just before entering Ulwe if coming from Mumbai side. The exit at Shivajinagar if coming from Chirle side is blocked for now.

Originally Posted by akash_v12

Yes, the Ulwe entry is now open. Toll fare is Rs. 200 for one-way & Rs. 300.

Thanks!!
Did take the bridge on Sunday and exited at Shivajinagar, Ulwe. Was a bit confused at the exit and drove on a broken road towards Gavhan till better sense prevailed and turned back moved towards Ulwe. Perhaps, I overlooked the signages at the exit or they weren't there - early morning might have missed it as well.

Originally Posted by Amity

It is 24 hours for availing the said benefit on MTHL. Read this on Today’s Indian Express. Hope this answers your query.

Thanks at lot!
An amount of Rs. 200 was deducted at the exit at Shivajinagar, Ulwe and 100 back when I got in on MTHL at the same location. The intervening time might have been about 6-7 hours.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Super impressed that the actual construction time on such a massive project was 5-6 years. In Bangalore there are atleast 3 tiny <1km flyovers not even 50% completed in the same 5-6 years. Not to mention other infra projects that are crawling with no end in sight.

Originally Posted by vharihar

KA has a very corrupt state govt, all parties. It's been this way for over a decade.


Rest everything is far, far below average, be it BESCOM, BBMP, BWSSB, BDA, RTO, KSPCB, KSRDC, KPTCL, all state/city govt organizations. Riddled with corruption and self-interest.

OT but since you have posted ... Don't think that MH is far ahead in such aspects. There are many stretches or locations where the Infra work is going on since decades and quality of work is shoddy as usual. This was a flagship project of the government. Once all approvals were received construction was completed in full-swing because it had the focus of the leadership. Getting all approvals took decades here.

If such focus is seen on more projects and works of the govt departments, we will have better life. Otherwise, this is one of the few examples where they did good recently.

Look at the progress of the Bullet train. The last leg - GJ to MH, is not progressing at good pace but most of other work is going at good pace in rest of India. It simply is based on the focus of the leadership in the state.

[Captain Claw]

I see a lot of Bhpian also stopping on the bridge, while it is illegal to do so.
I do not understand what's with the long que of people parking and treating it like a tourist spot. Sooner or later it is going to run into problem with all of this fuss.

I myself was asked by my girlfriend to stop and take pictures on the bridge to which I clearly refused. Sighting so many pictures of BHPian stopping and clicking pictures on the bridge seems so disheartening. We being a community to practice safe and legal driving practices should not be doing such childish things IMHO.

[ruzbehxyz]

264 motorists penalised for stopping on MTHL for selfie and picnicking on Day 2



Read ful story here: https://indianexpress.com/article/ci...-9109396/lite/

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by Captain Claw

I myself was asked by my girlfriend to stop and take pictures on the bridge to which I clearly refused. I do not understand what's with the long que of people parking and treating it like a tourist spot.

It's a typical human response.

There are a few things in this world that bring us pleasure, particularly guilty pleasures, even though they may be morally questionable. Government is aware that some individuals will undoubtedly stop. Perhaps they should have initially opened it for public enjoyment rather than transportation for the first three days, allowing everyone to marvel at its beauty. Being India's first longest sea bridge, it holds a special significance, and it's only natural for people to want to appreciate its beauty and take photos. Opening it for the first week or three to four days would have allowed people to come and enjoy the construction's beauty in the sea, take pictures, and then transition to regular traffic movement with stringent rules against stopping anywhere.

Imposing fines on 264 motorists who simply wanted to enjoy the ride on a new road seems harsh. It's a common practice for people to appreciate and enjoy newly constructed roads; that's the reason we all go on Sunday drives, Ladakh trips, and so on. Fining them on a recently completed road feels unfavorable. The authorities could have allowed a grace period of one week for people to take selfies and admire the infrastructure. Following this, a strict announcement could have been made prohibiting further stops, with fines as consequences.

The bridge will soon become just another route in a matter of days.

Everyone has a different opinion, and this is mine. This situation used to occur in Chennai as well, particularly on Napier Bridge. When it was decorated, people would stop to take selfies. However, there were no harsh fines;

The bridge has been lit up at night as part of the Chennai corporation’s efforts to install dynamic lighting at bridges and flyovers in the city.

Civic body authorities say that the crowd was expected when they came up with the dynamic lighting project.

On most nights and weekends, several cars and two wheelers can be seen parked on the bridge, with several families jostlling for space near the bridge to click pictures.

the police would simply ask us to take a photo and move on, allowing the public to have fun for a week. Eventually, people stopped stopping there.

[vinitbhavi]

Have been following this project for the longest time . This is going to change the connectivity for Bombay and the nearby mainland locations for generations to come

Glad to skip the drive on the first two days of the AtalSetuBridge absolute madness chaos littering unsafe driving and stopping.
Had predicted this with joyriders wanting to make those damn social media posts.
Hope next week is better !!
Plan on using this every weekend to Pune

Meanwhile have watched lots of videos on this to satiate my driving.
Highly recommend the absolutely brilliant drive by Anuj on the MTHL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpAv..._channel=AnujN

The gmaps on the side gives the exact location to get a sense.

What i loved most is the bridge serving even BKC for shorter times rather than only SOBO which i hav ben saying for the longest time.

We in Bombay have been waiting for decades for this to finally happen!!
Its here

[Captain Claw]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

It's a typical human response.


The bridge will soon become just another route in a matter of days.

I do understand that, but I completely support the statement released by the police for their fines.

"“People should understand that vehicles pass by at a very high speed on the bridge and heavy vehicles also use it. One negligent act can lead to a big accident on the bridge, which is in the middle of the sea,” an officer said."

If not discouraged, it may soon become a spot to "chill" above sea and the actual use of the shoulder lanes would be redundant.

I've seen images of people already littering coconuts which idk from where they got and had on the bridge. (https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/...=768&h=432&m=6)

Doing this put's one more task for the police and us drivers to be aware to see if someone is not jumping in on the road.

I just hope people start treating the road properly and respect the rules set.
On a positive note, I am positive that this shall pass, as we don't see many people stopping on the Mumbai Pune Expressway. although this was the first expressway in India. It was regularly patrolled by cops which helped deter the actions, also helped the ones genuinely stranded.

[silverado]

If anyone is coming from Pune, Gmaps tells you to take MTHL if you stay in south mumbai, the difference in time is 30 mins, and toll is cheaper by 45rs. This is as per Gmaps.

If you see the road in detail, it shows it completes the eway till Panvel exit and then goes to MTHL, in which case you are paying Rs 320 for eway and then another 250 for MTHL.

A dedicated road to eway is in works, when that road is completed along with the missing link, Pune - Mumbai travel is going to get much shorter and faster

[Starfire]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

Imposing fines on 264 motorists who simply wanted to enjoy the ride on a new road seems harsh. It's a common practice for people to appreciate and enjoy newly constructed roads; that's the reason we all go on Sunday drives, Ladakh trips, and so on. Fining them on a recently completed road feels unfavorable.

Respect your opinion but I humbly disagree. What’s unfavourable to me is risking the life of majority of other motorists on the road for the guilty pleasures of a few. While I am not too supportive of sneaky authorities hiding in bushes only to catch motorist going a few km/h above the speed limit, this is one thing I do not concur.

Allowing a few would only promote more of them (herd mentality) and will end up making the bridge a hot zone for 100 km/h accidents (yes even a single life lost in the first few days is not worth it, after all it can be any one of our loved ones), or best case scenario turn the entire bridge into a multi kilometre traffic jam (as GTO highlighted above, we all remember the nightmare when Bandra-Worli Sealink opened). I’m actually in-fact happy that the authorities have learnt from their past mistakes.

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by Roark

How does the return journey work? With Fastag, for every exit from a location an amount is deducted from the account. Not to mention - no receipts or tags.

How does the system calculate the return journey then? Is it then the return journey, taken as return the same day or within 24 hours?

Originally Posted by Amity

It is 24 hours for availing the said benefit on MTHL. Read this on Today’s Indian Express. Hope this answers your query.

This will be inline with other highways/ expressways/ toll roads.

If there's discount on return journey, the 24hr time limit starts from the first entry point on onward leg and is calculated till last exit point on return leg. So, I believe on MTHL as well, one has to cross the exit toll on return leg within 24hr limit to avail the discount.