Amid Selfie Craze On Atal Setu, Mumbai Police Warns Motorists Not To Stop By
The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as the Atal Setu, India's longest sea bridge, was inaugurated on Friday and has become an instant hit with the public. On Saturday, a total of 24,083 vehicles used the sea bridge, while the figure was 55,367 on Day 2.
The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as the Atal Setu, India's longest sea bridge, was inaugurated on Friday and has become an instant hit with the public.
On Saturday, a total of 24,083 vehicles used the sea bridge, while the figure was 55,367 on Day 2, a Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority spokesperson said on Monday.
BCCL
Atal Setu, Mumbai's new picnic spot
While the six-lane bridge, about 21.8 km long, will undoubtedly help ease Mumbai's traffic woes, authorities are now dealing with a new problem.
The Atal Setu has become the new attraction in Mumbai, where everyone wants to click selfies and shoot reels.
It's a picnic at #AtalSetu pic.twitter.com/MFcGYbpija
¡ª Jayant UnKill (@jayantgajria) January 13, 2024
This is even though stopping vehicles on Atal Setu, which has a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour, is illegal.
While Mumbai police have banned motorcycles, tractors, autorickshaws, mopeds, animal-pulled carts, and other slow-moving vehicles on the sea bridge, some photographs of autorickshaws and motorcycles went viral on social media.
BCCL
Rule violations on Atal Setu
Some motorists also shared photographs of litter on the bridge, flouting rules, blocking emergency lanes by some vehicles and stopping midway for selfies.
Does India deserve world class infrastructure?
¡ª Suraj Balakrishnan (@SurajBala) January 15, 2024
Our civic sense & discipline must improve to maintain the quality of the roads & other public services that have been made open to the public.
These visuals at Atal Setu are very disappointing to see. pic.twitter.com/5IebFgl7ga
What Mumbai Police said
Amid complaints by a section of social media users about how selfie-takers and reel-makers have become a nuisance to motorists who use Atal Setu for commute the Mumbai Police said "we agree Atal Setu is definitely a watch but it is also illegal to stop on it and click photos".
"You will face an FIR if you stop on MTHL," the police warned motorists in a social media post.
We agree that Atal Setu is definitely 'worth a watch' but it's also illegal to stop on it & click photos. You will face a FIR if you stop on MTHL. #MumbaiTransHarbourLink #MTHL #AtalSetu#FaceFIRIfYouStop pic.twitter.com/582CLgA72W
¡ª Mumbai Traffic Police (@MTPHereToHelp) January 15, 2024
A Mumbai police official said action was taken against 122 vehicles on the first day and 42 on Sunday night.
The MMRDA also appealed to motorists to use the bridge in a responsible manner.
"Experience the joy of driving on India's longest sea bridge having speed limit of 100 kmph. For your safety, we advise against stopping on the bridge for selfies. Drive responsibly and enjoy the journey," MMRDA said.
Atal Setu sea bridge
Built at a cost of about Rs 17,840 crore, the Atal Setu provides faster connectivity to the Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport and will also reduce the travel time from Mumbai to Pune and Goa.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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