Cracks On Atal Setu? Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole Inspects Site, Says 'Lives Of People In Danger'
Congress leader Nana Patole looks at the crack appeared on the Atal Setu bridge, in Mumbai. (PTI)
Some minor cracks appeared on the service road connecting the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Seva Atal Setu in Navi Mumbai to the city. The service road is the temporary connecting route between the Atal Setu and the city.
The sea bridge, also known as Atal Setu, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January this year.
Soon after the reports of the cracks emerged, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole conducted an inspection of the site and expressed his worries, emphasising that it signifies a potential threat to people’s safety.
The Congress leader said such reports raised concerns about public safety due to the recent structural issues.
Minor Cracks Due to Rain: Mumbai Official
Meanwhile, on the emergence of the cracks, Atal Setu Project head, Kailash Ganatra first clarified that cracks did not appear on the newly inaugurated Atal Setu but on the service road connecting it to the city.
He said the service road was built as a temporary connecting route at the last minute due to the absence of a coastal road.
About the cracks, Ganatra said that those were just minor cracks due to the rains and would be filled up by tomorrow evening.
For the unversed, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, which is commonly known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), is India’s longest sea bridge, spanning 21.8 km, with a significant portion extending over the sea, measuring 16.5 km. It serves as a crucial route, witnessing the movement of over 70,000 vehicles daily.
This comes days after a newly constructed bridge collapsed in the Araria district ahead of its inauguration, leading to the suspension of three engineers from Bihar’s rural works department.
The state government was responsible for the construction of the bridge, which was not yet open to the public as the approach roads were still under construction.