News

New sea link eases Mumbai traffic

2 Jul 2009

Travel in Mumbai, India’s acknowledged financial capital, got a little easier with the opening of the US$330 million Bandra-Worli Sea Link on the western coast last Tuesday, June 30.

The 5.6km facility, India’s longest bridge and first in the sub-continent to be built over open sea, connects Bandra and the western suburbs with Worli and central Mumbai. Both Bandra and Worli are two of the city’s prominent emerging commercial and leisure hubs.

The new attraction features eight lanes, with two allocated for buses, and costs INR50 (US$1) one way and INR75 (US$1.55) round trip. Electronic as well as manual payment systems are available.

Prior to the sea link, Mahim Causeway was the only way Mumbaikers and visitors could get between these areas. For years, the result was a huge congestion in this north-southwestern corridor during peak hours. The new alternative is expected to ease this problem and cut down the commute to the international airport for business travellers staying in the south Mumbai in hotels such as the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower by 30 minutes or more. Currently, the journey takes two  hours or longer.

Rising incomes, exploding population, cheaper cars, insufficient public transport and limited land have contributed to Mumbai earning a reputation as being in the list of world cities with the worst traffic conditions.

Mumbai provides over one-third of India’s tax revenues and generates about five percent of the national GDP so any hindrance to the smooth flow of these factors hammers a large dent into the country’s economy.

The sea link, however, is only a part of a master plan to respond to the situation. Prominent politician Sonia Gandhi, who inaugurated the facility, urged a quick start to the second phase of the project, the bridge between Worli-Haji Ali, also along the western coast. The Bandra-Worli sea link took nine years to finish, a victim of bureaucracy. 

Margie T Logarta

Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls