India Opens The Gates Of Its First SEA Bridge - Kiran Raj

Kiran Raj Mumbaikar.............................. The 16.5 billion rupee eight-lane freeway would help cut the 40-minute journey between the suburbs of Bandra and Worli to 8.



The sealink dazzles during a rehearsal of the light and laser pyrotechnics show planned before Sonia Gandhi throws the bridge open to the public on Wednesday...

Bendra-worli sea link Bridg_night

The 5.6 km long BWSL with a 4.7 km, twin, 4-lane independent carriageway connecting bridge is a part of the Western Freeway Sea Project linking Mumbai with its suburbs...

India's first 'sea bridge' is aimed to ease chronic congestion on Mumbai's notoriously traffic-choked roads..

A police vehicle patrols the sealink bridge in Mumbai. After years of delays and legal wrangling, India's first 'sea bridge' is set to open to traffic.

A supervisor waits for workers.

Big plans for the city: Congress president Sonia Gandhi

Big plans for the city: Congress president Sonia Gandhi walks down the Bandra-Worli sea link after inaugurating it in Bandra, Mumbai, on Tuesday. Dedicating the country’s first sea bridge to the nation, Ms. Gandhi said her party’s aim was to develop the metropolis as one of the best cities in the world.

Mumbai "Sea Bridge" is inaugurated with fireworks

Mumbai "Sea Bridge" is inaugurated with fireworks
In India's financial hub Mumbai, a bridge has been built over the sea to ease chronic traffic congestion in one of the worlds' most crowded cities. Updating inadequate infrastructure in Indian cities has become critical as its economy expands.

After a brief inauguration ceremony, ruling Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi drove on the eight-lane bridge that extends over the Arabian Sea across Mahim Bay.

The 5.6-kilometer bridge is the first to be built over the sea in India, and links the western suburb of Bandra with Worli in south Mumbai. It will cut travel time along this route from nearly 45 minutes to about eight minutes. A one-way trip in a car will cost about $1.

The bridge is expected to ease Mumbai's unending traffic snarls. But it will only make a partial difference in a city where an overburdened transport network makes commuting a nightmare.

Bidisha Ganguly at the Confederation of Indian Industry calls Mumbai's sea bridge a "landmark project" where infrastructure is concerned. "A great beginning has been made with this sea link, and there are opportunities for many more of such projects. Public transport is a major concern, and now with the congestion on the roads, its time to look for alternatives," Ganguly said.

The government says new flyovers, an underground railway, and an expansion of the sea bridge have been planned to cater to the city of 18 million people, and 1.5 million vehicles.

But experts are calling for faster implementation of these projects. In the past, many infrastructure projects have been delayed due to bureaucratic hurdles, lack of funding or litigation over land. For example, the construction of the sea bridge took nearly a decade as protests and litigation from the fishing community held up work until 2004.

The protests were triggered by concerns over the bridge's impact on the sea bed and its implication for the livelihood of fishermen.

It is not just in Mumbai where the transport infrastructure needs to be overhauled. In nearly all Indian cities, roads and mass transit systems have become inadequate as an expanding economy attracts millions of people from rural areas to cities, and the middle class snaps up more cars.

The government acknowledges that infrastructure needs investment of billions of dollars, and has commissioned several projects to build new highways, airports and rail networks. Experts say infrastructure is a key factor in holding back the economy from its full potential.