Maharashtra BJP announces date for MTHL inauguration

The Maharashtra unit of the BJP has asserted that the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), considered India's longest sea bridge, is scheduled to be inaugurated for public use on December 25. However, the government agency overseeing the project contradicted this claim, stating that despite being 97 percent complete, the remaining work is unlikely to be finished by that date.

On Monday, the Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on X that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sea Link will be inaugurated on December 25 this year, on the birth anniversary of the late prime minister after whom it is to be named.

However, when contacted, an MMRDA source said, The construction work of the sea link is nearly 97 per cent complete. But the work of electrification, erection of poles on the bridge, toll booths and integration of the entire system is yet to be done. Some of the work orders for erecting polls and others were issued in June this year. The project cannot be completed by December this year, the source said.

The MTHL is a 21.8 km six-lane road bridge connecting Sewri in Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is overseeing the implementation of this project, which aims to link south Mumbai with the Navi Mumbai township. Once finalized, the MTHL is set to become India's longest sea bridge, accommodating approximately 70,000 vehicles on a daily basis, according to officials.