Maharashtra Cabinet Decides to Maintain Atal Setu Toll Rates at Rs 250 Until December 2025

The Maharashtra cabinet has decided to maintain the toll rates on the Atal Setu, India's longest sea bridge, at Rs 250 until the end of this year. This bridge connects south Mumbai with Navi Mumbai. The unchanged toll allows vehicles to continue using the Atal Setu at discounted rates for another year.

A statement from the chief minister's office indicated that the cabinet will review these toll rates annually. The current discounted rates will remain in effect until December 31, 2025. Consequently, the minimum toll for four-wheelers, such as cars and SUVs, will stay at Rs 250.

Atal Setu's Construction and Inauguration

The Atal Setu, officially named the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, is also known as the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL). This 21.8-kilometre-long bridge was built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on January 12, 2024, and it opened to the public the following day.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 21,200 crore, Rs 15,000 crore of which came from loans, this six-lane sea link includes a 16.50-kilometre stretch over water and a 5.50-kilometre stretch on land. It has significantly reduced travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa, and South India while enhancing connectivity between Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

Traffic Projections and Current Usage

According to an MMRDA report, the Atal Setu currently sees an average daily traffic of fewer than 23,000 vehicles. This figure is lower than initial projections which anticipated more than 56,000 vehicles daily. Initially, it was projected that by 2021, around 57,525 vehicles would use the bridge each day.

Further projections estimated that by 2031, daily traffic would increase to approximately 88,550 vehicles. However, these numbers have not yet been realised due to various factors affecting traffic flow since its inauguration.

In January last year, the Maharashtra cabinet decided to offer a 50% discount on proposed toll rates by MMRDA. This decision aimed to encourage usage and ease financial burdens on commuters using this vital infrastructure.