The 1st Orthotropic Steel Deck (OSD) span of length 119 mtrs, weighting 1331 Metric Tones in Package-1 was launched on Friday (January 14, 2022). The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is nodal agency carrying out the MTHL bridge work shared details about the latest developments in the project work done so far.
The Package 1 is awarded to L&T-IHI Consortium. It involves construction of a 10.38 kms of long bridge across the Mumbai Bay including Sewri Interchange at Mumbai Side. The OSD is a steel Deck Superstructure which will carry the vehicular load more efficiently among three planes and improve the load-carrying capacity of the bridge as compared to Concrete Superstructure for similar span. It has lesser self-weight than concrete or composite girders and a longer span of 180 mtrs, designed using OSD for this project by the said contractor.
It is believed to be an ideal solution considering MTHL site conditions (Navigational Channels, Discharge Channels) and longer Pier to Pier distances. It is also cost-effective compared to the Cable Stay or Suspension bridges. A barge was specifically designed and manufactured to transportation the heavy OSD sections.
Similarly, on January 3 in package 2 the first OSD span was launched further paving the way for 31 OSD spans to be built in this package.
The 22 km long, 6-lane MTHL bridge with about 16.5km long over the sea and about 5.5kms long viaduct on land on either side has interchanges at Sewri in Central Mumbai, Shivaji Nagar at Mumbai Bay and NH-4 B at Chirle, Navi Mumbai.
This sea bridge will be equipped with an intelligent transport system (ITS) and the other amenities required. Once ready the MTHL will connect South Mumbai to the Navi Mumbai in a mere 25 minutes as compared to the current travel time of 120 minutes. The project cost is pegged at Rs 17,843 cr and its 80% piers works are completed till now and the overall project is about 65% completed. The project is expected to be completed in the year 2023.
