Bandra-Worli sealink, the magnanimous one of a kind engineering marvel in India is all set to be inaugurated on 30 June 2009, in Mumbai at the hands of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, UPA Chairperson.
It has been a long wait since the idea was conceived in 1990s. The construction work on the 5.6 km sea link work started in 2001. The Rs 750 crore sea link will offer Mumbai's rush-hour motorists a new route between the island city and the western suburbs. Till now, the Mahim Causeway was the only route.
With no toll from 1 to 5 July 2009, a large amount of traffic is expected. The traffic police are likely to have a tough task ahead in the coming weeks at Worli and Bandra.
An automatic system will identify vehicles going over the 50 kmph limit. MSRDC engineers said cameras on the link can take swift 360-degree turns and capture images of vehicles within 1.5 km. Two cameras fitted under the cable-stayed portions of the link will keep watch on the movements of boats and ships.
Hindustan Construction Company chairman and managing director Ajit Gulabchand, addressing the media on the eve of the inauguration, said the bridge would be the next landmark of Mumbai after the Gateway of India.
Features of the engineering marvel:
Length of bridge (4.7km): 63 times the Qutub Minar
Weight of bridge (6.7L tonnes): 50,000 African elephants
424 cables for main roadway: can support 900 tons each
Length of steel wire used (37,680km): Nearly the earth's circumference
Concrete used: 2.3 lakh cubic metres
Height of main towers (126m): 43-storey buidling
Pile caps: Bridge rests on 135 pile caps, the largest being 55 m in length and 55 m in breadth (half a football field)
Peak-hour sweat: 4,000 workers and 150 engineers
MATTER OF MINUTES
Currently, it takes 35 to 38 minutes to go the 7.7-km distance between Mahim flyover and Love Grove Junction, Worli
Transport experts estimate that travelling the link plus its approach and exit roads, which also measure about 7.7 km, will take at least 25 minutes
The builders claim that travelling the 4.7-km main link will take just 6 minutes
LENGTH TO TAKE AWAY BREATH
4.7 km Bandra-Worli Sea Link (4 lanes) 4 km Bandra-Worli link (4 lanes; to open later as part of link up to Nariman Point)
Breaking up the link
449-metre toll plaza section at Bandra end with promenades 800-mtrs pre-cast approach at Bandra end 600-mtrs cable-stayed bridge at Bandra with two 126-mtrs tall towers 200-mtrs pre-cast bridge between Bandra-Worli cable-stayed bridges Two 175-mtrs cable-stayed bridges at Worli with two 56-mtrs towers 1,400-metre approach at Worli end 811-mtrs link at Worli end Another 90 mtrs or so may make up approaches at either end.
LINKS TO THE CITY
Flyover at Love Grove junction, Worli Clover-leaf, interchange at Mahim Approach road from Mahim interchange to toll plaza
RISING BOTTOMLINE
Main Link cost: Rs 750 crore Total cost: Rs 1,634 crore Initial cost for main link: Rs 434 crore Costs rose because fishermen complained their livelihood was being disturbed. Re-aligned link was built 150 mtrs farther from the coastline Harder rock was drilled into Extra cable-stayed bridge put at Worli end at a higher level to allow fishing boats to pass Interest payments rose
STRETCHED DEADLINES
Initial deadline: December 2004 (later revised to December 2007 & December 2008) Bridge completed: April 21, 2009 All allied work completed: May 31, 2009 Delays caused by fisherfolk protests and payment disputes.
Source : ProjectsToday
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