The proposed Mumbai Trans Harbour Link may significantly cut down the travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by 2023, when it is expected to be ready, but citizens might end up paying toll up to 23 years to use the 22-km-long corridor.
According to officials from state agency Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the collection is essential to make MTHL a financially viable project. The cable-stayed bridge is expected to cost Rs 20,000 crore.
Nearly 70,000 vehicles are expected to use the overpass every day and motorists might have to pay between Rs 175 and Rs 790, said MMRDA officials. Work on the MTHL started in January.
MMRDA chief UPS Madan said, "The project is viable if we collect toll for 20 to 23 years after the bridge is made operational. However, it all depends on the toll policy of the state government as several small vehicles were also exempted from paying toll in the past."
Officials say it will take about 25 minutes to reach Navi Mumbai from Mumbai through MTHL. Today it takes anything between an hour and two to cover the distance.
UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, said, "The project of MTHL is quite viable if we collect toll for plying on MTHL for around 20 to 23 years after the bridge is made operational. However, it all depends on the toll policy of the state government as several small vehicles were also exempted from paying toll in the past."
Madan, added, "We have updated our toll calculations from time to time and the final toll rates would be known only after it is approved by the state government before making MTHL open for public."
Meanwhile, construction work like geo-technical survey and other activities have already started for the construction of the Sea-Link. The construction period for MTHL is 4.5 years and is expected to be ready by 2023. This also means that considering MTHL is made open for public in 2023, toll collection will be done up to the year of 2045 at least.
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding 85 per cent of the total project cost. Ever since MTHL was proposed back in 1980's the project cost has increased more than 350 per cent. In 2005, the cost was estimated to be Rs 4,000 crore to the same now being estimated to be around Rs 20,000 crore.
‘DEPENDS ON STATE’
MMRDA chief UPS Madan said the decision on toll collection depends on the state’s toll policy
