Mumbai Porbandar project i.e. Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Sea Bridge completed one month on Tuesday after it entered traffic service and still it seems that the use of this bridge is not getting the expected response. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has claimed that 70,000 vehicles will run through this sea bridge every day. However, 8 lakh 13 thousand 774 vehicles have run over this sea bridge within a month and an average of 27 thousand vehicles are running per day.
MMRDA undertook the Sewri-Nhava Sheva Sea Bridge project to connect Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and recently completed the project and put it into traffic service. The bridge was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12 and the sea bridge was opened for traffic on January 13 at 8 am. As many as 54,977 vehicles have traveled through this sea bridge on the second day after the sea bridge was opened for traffic i.e. January 14. This sea bridge will get a good response, while expecting 70 thousand vehicles per day, it was thought that at least 50 thousand vehicles will ply. But actually this expectation of MMRDA has not been fulfilled after a month after the Sagari Setu has entered into traffic service.
A loan of 17 thousand crores has been taken from JICA for this sea bridge and repayment of the loan will start from 2028. In such a case, as less vehicles are plying on this sea bridge, obviously the revenue is getting less. So far the revenue of INR 13 crore 95 lakh 85 thousand 310 has been collected. If the number of vehicles does not increase, there is a possibility that MMRDA will face difficulties in repaying the loan, Sanjay Mukherjee has confirmed. He also expressed confidence that the number of vehicles will increase after the completion of Ulwe Interchange, Sewri-Worli Elevated Road and Chirle-Kone Junction Road, although the number of vehicles is said to be low due to higher road tax.
Of the 8 lakh 13 thousand 774 vehicles that crossed the Sagari Setu during the month, 7 lakh 97 thousand 578 vehicles were four-wheelers. This includes 3 thousand 516 mini buses and other vehicles. Meanwhile, it has also come to light that three percent of motorists are not paying road tax. Dr. Mukherjee also said that MMRDA will now take concrete measures to prevent those who travel without paying road tax.
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