Officials discuss safety threats faced by MTHL

Taking notes from the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, officials from the State Home Department and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) met to discuss the potential security threats that may arise during and after the construction of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). Several factors like preventing suicides, the security agency that will guard it and also risk analysis were discussed.

A senior official from the home department told DNA that the state government will ensure security and surveillance on the MTHL. "The MMRDA will appoint a chief security officer. The Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC) will handle security on the MTHL." The official added that a high-level committee, which will include representatives of the police, MSSC and MMRDA, will handle issues relaSeveral factors like preventing suicides, the security agency that will guard it and also risk analysis were discusseding to the sea link's security.

Sanjay Khandare, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, confirmed that a meeting with the home department took place to discuss security concerns of MTHL.

A MMRDA official said, "Provision for risks has been made at various stages. The risk can be due to accident, falling of vehicle in to the sea, fire, sabotage, earthquake, collision of ship with the bridge or spillage of oil and chemicals on the bridge and sea, and we have to be ready for any emergency for which proper discussion and planning is important considering the sea link's length is more than 20 km."

The construction work for MTHL has already started in the form of soil testing and the civil construction work will continue for around 4.5 years. MTHL is a 22-km-long cable stay bridge and will be the second longest sea link in the world after the 42-km link between Qingdao to Huandao in China. The project has been on paper since the 1980s due to the lack of environmental clearances.