UPDATE: The bridge is to be opened by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on June 30,2009.

Finally, the much hyped infrastructure masterpiece Bandra Worli Sea Link is to opened in the middle of this month after a five year delay. Started in 2001, the construction of the 5.6 km sea link was embroiled in numerous issues like logistical, environmental clearance and public interest litigation, leading to its delay and cost escalation.

And tourist operators are busy trying to get permission to get permission to halt their tourist buses on the bridge!

“The Worli sea link looks very beautiful under proper lighting. It will not only provide relief to people from traffic congestion but it will also become a tourist attraction in future. It is a symbol of modern technology,” said Dr. Vimal Mundra, Minister of Public Works Department, Maharashtra, Mumbai.

Even the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) intends to start a ferry trip to the sea link from Bandra-Kurla Complex. “We have planned an open deck bus tour of the bridge for the citizens. The ferry would start from one of the business hubs in the city-Bandra-Kurla Complex to Worli Sea Face and can accommodate nearly 38 to 40 passengers and would cost them Rs 15-20,” chairman of BEST Dilip Patel said.The transport unit plans to use five of the open-deck buses given by the Maharasthra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) for “cruises” across the bridge. The service will start from the Bandra Kurla Complex.

“Since we heard of BWSL’s opening, we have been asking the RTO for permission to allow tourist buses to halt on the bridge for a few minutes. But we are yet to get a reply,” said Sunil Savla, proprietor of Neeta Tours And Travels. The tour operators are rejoicing not only for this new landmark in the city but also because traffic congestion in the city forced them to cut down the itinerary from 52 tourist spots to 37. Now, with the bridge opening they plan to include more stops for the buses.

However, localites fear increased traffic congestion with a massive rise in vehicle density but will end up in confusion due to the narrow roads and lack of access to the sealink. The police authorities are working overnight to plan how to route the traffic. They are also trying to figure out which police station is to handle the jurisidiction of the sea-link with as many as six police stations in the area.

Joint commissioner of police (law and order) KL Prasad said the Mumbai Police had yet not decided how the authority for the bridge would work. “The jurisdiction is likely to be shared between the Bandra and Worli police stations,” he said.

Security of the sea link is also a major concern with the terror attacks in Mumbai looming in people’s minds. The company charging the toll on the bridge will provide security guards and share the responsibility of the bridge with the police. The coast guard and the navy will also guard the bridge with fears that the bridge may be targetted from the sea.

So next time you visit Mumbai, check out the Bandra Worli Sea Link (crowded with tourists!)

So what is this Bandra Worli Sea Link? (You already know if you are a Mumbaikar)

The engineering marvel Bandra Worli Sea Link or the BWSL is an 8-lane, cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete viaduct approaches, linking Bandra and the western suburbs of Mumbai with Worli and central Mumbai, and is the first phase of the proposed West Island Freeway system.The bridge is expected to carry 80,000 vehicles a day.

Companies involved

The Rs. 1600 crore project of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is being executed by leading private civil engineering firm Hindustan Construction Company. Designs and Project management is by M/s DAR Consultants. The electrification being done by Bajaj Electricals Ltd. Roman Tarmat Ltd has been assigned the crucial jobs of laying the Polumer Modified Bitumen layer on the deck.

The bridge was recently selected by an independent jury of bridge engineering experts from the Indian Institution of Bridge Engineers (IIBE) to win the coveted “Most outstanding bridge – National award”. The award ceremony was held this evening at the Nehru Centre in Worli.

Acknowledging the award, Mr Vinayak Deshpande, President & COO – HCC (EPC & Construction) said, “We are privileged to receive this honor for the very first cable-stayed bridge built in open sea in India. HCC has a long experience in infrastructure development, yet building this sea link offered complex engineering and environmental challenges that motivated us to be innovative and do our best.”

HCC remains at the forefront of India’s engineering construction industry with global management practices which include acquiring international ISO certifications for management systems in Quality, Occupational Health & Safety and Environment.

In all, HCC has built 321 Bridges, 43 Dams and Barrages, 15 Hydel Power Plants and 11 Nuclear Reactors, 60 km of Tunneling and 2,227 km of Roads and Expressways. HCC’s overseas performance in the construction of bridges has also been impressive, with over 34 bridges built in Iraq alone.

Project Location

• Express Highway and Swami Vivekanand road at Bandra and connects to Worli at Worli end with overall length of 5.6 kms for the entire project.
• A cloverleaf interchange at Mahim intersection and a flyover at the Lovegrove intersection have been proposed as part of this project to enhance the faster and safe traffic dispersal.

Features

• An 8-lane bridge with 2 lanes dedicated for buses.
• Unique bridge design for the Link Bridge to emerge as a landmark structure in the city.
• Single tower supported 500 metre long cable-stayed bridge at Bandra Channel and twin tower supported 350 m cable-stayed bridge at Worli Channel for each carriageway.
• Modern toll plaza of 16 lanes with automated toll collection system.
• An intelligent bridge with state-of-the-art systems for traffic monitoring, surveillance, information and guidance, instrumentation, emergency support, etc.
• Development of promenade and landscaping to enhance the environment.

Toll Fee

Motorists will be charged Rs 50 for one-way toll for every car (light motor vehicle), Rs 75 for mini-buses and Rs 100 for heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) such as buses and trucks, on the Bandra-Worli Sealink. The charges will be hiked by five per cent from June 2010.

Motorists also have the option of making a one month payment of Rs 2,500 that allows multiple entry, buy a swipe card (initial investment of Rs 300 and the monthly toll), or invest in an electronic device, an on-board-unit (OBU) costing Rs800.

This means that if you go to office 20 days a month in your car, you incur a toll fee of Rs. 2,200!

There is also a third mode of payment and the most technologically advanced – car owners have t0 invest in a RFID tag. This can be fitted on the car mirror and refilled every month. A separate lane has been demarcated for these vehicles. A scanner atop the toll gate will automatically scan the tag and deduct the toll amount. Officials peg the time at 10-15 seconds.

The MSRDC has also laid down guidelines for buses. There will be 50-70 p rise in ticket prices. Though the BEST had requested the MSRDC to bring down the monthly cost from Rs 5,000 to Rs 3,000, the organisation was unable to comply as it is looking to reduce losses.

With technology from across the world and engineers from seven countries, India’s first bridge across the sea is a glimmer of hope and relief to motrists in the city as they sit in vehicles stuck on the traffic-choked Mahim Causeway, a 1930s colonial-era bridge that is today the only link between Mumbai’s sprawling, prosperous western suburbs and its southern business heart.

Links:

Photographs during construction : http://sea-link.blogspot.com/