Mumbai: MMRDA’s plan to run a metro train on MTHL, the largest Sagari bridge connecting Mumbai to Navi Mumbai, looks bleak. An expert committee was constituted to look into the possibilities of building a metro corridor on the 21.8 km long 6-lane Mumbai Trans Harbor Link under construction. Recently, in the report of the Expert Committee, it was said that it would be technically difficult to build a metro corridor on the bridge. About 70 percent work of MTHL being built between Shivdi and Chirale in Navi Mumbai has been completed.
According to the report of the Expert Committee, MTHL will not be able to bear the weight of the Metro. Last year, MMRDA commissioner SVR Srinivas had also expressed the possibility of using MTHL for multi-transport. However, after the report came, Commissioner Srinivas said that the study will be done to increase the load capacity of MTHL. State-of-the-art technology is being used in making MTHL. OSD technology ie orthotropic steel deck is a superstructure, which carries the load of vehicles more efficiently between the three panes. These steel pan OSDs are manufactured in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and Myanmar.
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Scheme of MMRDA
If MMRDA’s plan is successful, there will be no need for additional construction on MTHL for the Metro line, as only track will have to be added. The Worli-Shivdi underground metro corridor is already planned. MMRDA prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mumbai Trans Harbor Metro Rail Link in 2010. Qin MTHL was to be constructed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Companies were not interested in the Metro corridor. After that it was decided to build MTHL.
target to be completed by 2023
Despite the challenges, the MTHL project is targeted to be completed by 2023 instead of 2024. According to the commissioner, the emphasis is on commissioning as per the COVID deadline. This project was started in April 2018. Work is going on from both the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai side.
Worli-Shivdi Connector
MMRDA has also started the work of connecting MTHL through Worli-Shivdi connector. This will greatly reduce the traffic problem.
Features of MTHL
- About 18 thousand crore plan
- About 22 km long 6 lane Sagri Bridge connecting Shivdi and Nhava Sheva of Mumbai
- 16.5 km is on sea and 5.5 km on land
- The use of OSD technology in construction