The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is planning and executing the 21.8-kilometre Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) also called the Sewri–Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link, announced placing an orthotropic steel deck on MTHL PKG-1, which it claims to be amongst the longest in the infrastructure sector. 

The project, which is being developed to improve connectivity between Mumbai and satellite city of Navi Mumbai, seems to be taking inspiration from the automotive and aviation sector in the context of light-weighting. 

The deck is 180 meters long and weighs around 2,400 metric tonnes in weight. The steel deck superstructure has been stiffened transversely as well as longitudinally for its lightweighting dynamics, thereby helping in undertaking more vehicular traffic efficiently as compared to concrete ones, of similar size and weight. Out of the total of 38 orthopaedic steel decks to be erected, 14 have already been placed, the officials added.

S V R Srinivas, Commissioner, MMRDA, said that his team is in sync to “commissioning the project by next year”. The development seems significant considering the fact that the MTHL project was first envisaged about three decades ago. It has been delayed due to some environmental concerns. The six-lane bridge has been designed to connect the Sewri area in Mumbai to Nhava Seva near Navi Mumbai. The bridge once complete will also help in reducing the mass and good movements between Mumbai to Pune and Goa. Additionally, it will also provide faster connectivity to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport.