A New Dawn At Rajiv Gandhi Setu Bridge

Pulse

oi-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 16:23

A new day has dawn for the rush-hour motorists in Mumbai on 01st July 2009. The Rajiv Gandhi Setu Bridge, a marvel in Indian traffic has opened for the public at midnight on 30th June 2009. The spectacular Bandra-Worli Sea Link is really a dream come true for the public.

The Bandra-Worli Sea-Link is an 8-lane, twin carriageway cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete viaduct approaches. It will link Bandra (and the western suburbs of Mumbai) with Worli (and downtown Mumbai). It is the first phase of the proposed West Island Freeway system.

A fireworks, lights and laser show, coupled with music, was held on at the main cable-stayed bridge at the Bandra end, before its opening. The joy riders took their wheels on the new path at the happiest occasion. Police expects heavy traffic on the Rs 750-crore link on the first five toll free days.

The Beauty of the sea link:

• Length of bridge (4.7km): 63 times the Qutub Minar
• Weight of bridge (6.7L tonnes): 50,000 African elephants
• 424 cables for main roadway: can support 900 tons each
• Length of steel wire used (37,680km): Nearly the earth's circumference
• Concrete used: 2.3 lakh cubic metres
• Height of main towers (126m): 43-storey building
• Pile caps: Bridge rests on 135 pile caps, the largest being 55 m in length and 55 m in breadth (half a football field)
• Peak-hour sweat: 4,000 workers and 150 engineers
• During peak hours, around 7,000 to 8,000 cars are expected to use the sea link per hour.
• Two and three-wheelers would not be allowed to ply on the Bandra-Worli sea link.
• 12 cameras will be monitored by MSRDC, traffic police and city police Link will be under the jurisdiction of Bandra and Worli police stations Two policemen on bikes will patrol Shoulders along bridge will allow traffic police to pull over errant drivers.

The Toll Fee Details:

BASIC FEE: Car or SUV | Rs 50 | Mini bus or mini truck | Rs 75 | Bus or truck Rs 100

PASSES: Daily travel: (2-way) | 1.5 times basic toll

Daily travel: (multiple entries) | 2.5 times basic toll

Monthly pass: (all vehicles) | 50 times basic toll

Note: Buses will be charged Re 1 extra for each commuter ticket

We can also hope that apart from curbing the traffic woes, this marvel will get entry into the world wonders" list too!