Mumbai Trans-Harbour Bridge : Nhava-Sewri Sea Link

[Indiadreams]

Originally Posted by adam_india

I think 180 Rs is not that high a toll if it's going to save fuel & time, people coming from outside Mumbai would definitely not mind paying it on a day's trip, anyway whenever this project becomes operational, probably 7-8 years, fuel will probably cost double of what it does today.

You may want to rephrase this to " people coming from south of Mumbai to the eastern and southern parts of island city of Mumbai will save time and fuel". And by that probable 7-8 years, the cost of construction and toll may also double up.

The definition of Mumbai is highly varying and people from outside may also visit Borivali, Thane, Ghatkopar, Mahim, Khargar, Virar, Kalyan or Santacruz. It may not save time and fuel, if they visit these places. And the buses will never take that route as they would try to maximsie the number of passengers by passing through heavily populated areas.

[MYSTIC]

Originally Posted by surreal75

If this bridge does become a reality, I hope they design it with reversible lanes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversible_lane

I am assuming that there will be a lot more traffic from NM to Mumbai in the morning peak hours and Mumbai to NM during evening peak hours. They can design the lane management such that they can have 4+2 lane configuration from NM to Mumbai in morning with 4 lanes going to Mumbai, reverse configuration in the evening and 3+3 lane configuration during off peak hours.

I have seen this in Vacouver and Washington DC and works really well. In DC, they actually had physical barriers around the middle lanes (they had 3+2+3 configuration) and the entry to the middle lanes was controlled by gates at the ends and of course only one side gate was opened depending on which direction they wanted the traffic to flow. The physical barriers made it less confusing and more safe than what I saw in Vancouver BC which mostly used eletronically-lit lane markings (yellow as road divider and white as lane maker) and overhead signs to tell which lane is ok/not-ok to drive in.

Dude...i would hope that they dont do something like that. The roads are filled with idiots that can't even stick to a lane. If we have reversible lanes it will be havoc on the bridge. The same system is used on the sydney harbour bridge. It is very good system but scary if done in India.

[sumant]

They did try the reverseible lane system on couple of the flyover one is the TOI flyover when it was partially open for a month or two and one of the flyover in central suburbs . It worked fine .But it is alltogether different matter while using in on a sealink on indian roads.

[prakmrao]

In these days of traffic congestion and high fuel fuel prices, environ friendly bicycles are better option for short journey up to say 5-6 km.

It is time for a smart start-up company to start a bicycle rental business with collection centres spread all over Mumbai. One should be able to hire a bicycle including a helmet from one point (say Ghatkopar Station) and drop the same near his destination (say Andheri Station) on hourly rent basis. Company can collect a hefty membership fee from those who like to use the facility.

It can also offer free accident insurance cover also to the member for the ride duration. The franchises will also generate many employment opportunities.

[jaadu]

There is a major problem in this plan. Lack of bicycle lanes . Without it, it will be too dangerous to ride bikes.

[TutConr]

Originally Posted by jaadu

There is a major problem in this plan. Lack of bicycle lanes . Without it, it will be too dangerous to ride bikes.

Hell, there aren't even proper sidewalks for pedestrians. There are slums, dumps, piss grounds, light poles, all sorts of things on the 'footpaths'

[prakmrao]

It may be dangerous on only the some very busy roads like Western Express Highway. But definitely better than going hanging in BEST buses or begging auto rickshaw drivers. Moreover, cycling is good for your health. Only a proper helmet with nose filters, etc. shall be used to avoid pollution.

[Abhishek901]

Originally Posted by jaadu

There is a major problem in this plan. Lack of bicycle lanes . Without it, it will be too dangerous to ride bikes.

Are you talking about MTHL? Who can ride a bicycle for 22 km?

[KuwarOnline]

Originally Posted by Abhishek901

Are you talking about MTHL? Who can ride a bicycle for 22 km?

hahahha

[jaadu]

Yeah .. sorry this was totally OT but I was jsut replying t o"Prakmrao's" suggestion !!

[IndiansUnite]

Unfortunately the above line of thinking of "Who can ride a bicycle for 22 km?" is typical of the short-sighted mindset of public infra authorities while conceiving the design of Indian roads and bridges.

A segregated walkway on the MTHL for pedestrians with space/lane for bikers would be beneficial for folks who like to:

- exercise: walk/jog ("gymming" isn't the only way to exercise)
- go for weekend bike rides/expeditions (I know I would)
- casually walk/bike a portion of the bridge - You don't necessarily have to go all the way down to the other side. Given such a facility, I'm sure people would go 1 kms or as much as they please out into the harbor to get wowzer and new views of the city and its skyline. Some stat suggested that roughly 90% of mumbaikars have never been on the eastern side, so this will be something new for them and tourists.

The city is already starved of parks and public recreation areas. Giving Mumbaikars just another spot for the above activities would give them another opportunity to cultivate a more active outdoor engagement with the city and environment.

As an aside, the bridge will be ~16 kms long over the sea, not 22 kms.

[jaadu]

The new Bay bridge in San Francisco has a bike lane btw and it is a pretty long bridge.
Anyways the point is that we definitely need more space for bikes and pedestrians on our roads and then we can think about a bike rental company

[prakmrao]

Originally Posted by jaadu

Yeah .. sorry this was totally OT but I was jsut replying t o"Prakmrao's" suggestion !!

Read the blog first before commenting. I suggested it for shorter ride of 5-6 km.

[Indiadreams]

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

Some stat suggested that roughly 90% of mumbaikars have never been on the eastern side, so this will be something new for them and tourists.

Not sure of the stats! I have seen the eastern parts of the city only through CG's pics. And that is true for most of the people, I know.

They have closed the eastern side for development completely, making the land shortage more acute.

[jaadu]

Originally Posted by prakmrao

Read the blog first before commenting. I suggested it for shorter ride of 5-6 km.

That is what I said my friend that i was replying to you and not suggesting we ride across MTHL on bike and I just added that it was all OT to this thread.

[prakmrao]

Originally Posted by jaadu

That is what I said my friend that i was replying to you and not suggesting we ride across MTHL on bike and I just added that it was all OT to this thread.

Sorry, my mistake, my comment was in reply to some who were ridiculing the idea itself.

I posted idea here as there was no thread on this alternate transport/travel model. Let us start a new thread on this topic.

[IndiansUnite]

Originally Posted by Indiadreams

Not sure of the stats! I have seen the eastern parts of the city only through CG's pics. And that is true for most of the people, I know.

They have closed the eastern side for development completely, making the land shortage more acute.

What is true for most people you know?

In any case, just on this forum itself you can see how closely valid the stat is. Out of roughly 20-25 regular members from the city, I've only seen 2 folks (CG and Ash) post their observations/pics of the eastern freeway. I don't think anyone else here has ventured dockside.

As far as that land goes, you'd have a good idea of the immense potential that area has got for developing into a solid waterfront with resi/comm space, recreational and open spaces. I almost feel as if the MPT under the shipping ministry is playing a chanakyan move here. Once the MTHL gets considerably built and land prices go up, they'll start auctioning pieces of land just how the NTC did in central Mumbai once a couple of other mill parcels (Simplex, Piramal, Phoenix) started redeveloping.

[KB335ci2]

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

Unfortunately the above line of thinking of "Who can ride a bicycle for 22 km?" is typical of the short-sighted mindset of public infra authorities while conceiving the design of Indian roads and bridges.

+1

[MT84]

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/repor...r-link_1698194

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) connecting Navi Mumbai and Raigad with Mumbai will not get a metro line. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has dropped plans to have provisions for two metro lanes on the bridge due to feasibility issues.

The six-lane MTHL, work on which is due to begin next year, will have a 16.5km section in the sea and a 5.5km one on land. It will connect Sewri in Central Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai. The Rs8,800-crore bridge will be the longest sea bridge in India.

A senior MMRDA official said, “A detailed study has revealed that laying the foundation for the bridge with provisions for two metro lanes would hike costs instead of save money. Hence, it will be feasible to have a separate bridge for the metro in the future.”

The official pointed out that as there is every chance of returns not being secured soon private players will not invest in public-private partnership (PPP) projects. Also, the metro line on the bridge would not yield any immediate financial recovery as work on the 3.5km Sewri-Prabhadevi metro line, to which it was to be connected, has not started.

Moreover, the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), whose passengers the metro was to cater to, will take more time to be commissioned.

“We have to make the MTHL viable as a road project,” said the official, adding that the immediate need for a mass transit system on the bridge would have arisen only if the NMIA had been commissioned.

“A metro on the route will be a point-to-point service as any stops en route will not be feasible,” the official said. “We may have to take it up as an independent project after it can be connected with the Sewri-Prabhadevi line and the NMIA’s development.”

The MTHL will provide better links to the proposed NMIA, Pune, Goa, and southern states. It will also help movement of cargo from the Mumbai, JNPT and the Rewas ports.

The MTHL, which will be constructed under the PPP mode on the design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis, will have a concession period of 45 years, including the construction period, in which the concessioner will collect toll.

We look forward for a white elephant soon ....

[devendra1]

infact scrapping the metro will make it economically viable to be taken on PPP basis.
Else lots of cars would have reduced which would have meant Toll collection would have been very less. Even If they go with Metro in future they will have to keep ticket rates very high.