Cracks seen on Atal Setu sea bridge just months after inauguration, alleges Patole; cries corruption
Mumbai, Jun 21: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday alleged corruption in the construction of the Atul Setu sea bridge connecting south Mumbai to Navi Mumbai, saying that cracks have appeared on it within months of inauguration, posing a threat to people's lives.
Patole, who inspected the bridge during the day, claimed that the construction quality of the bridge was poor and that a portion of the road has caved in by one foot.
However, the ruling BJP as well as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is the nodal agency for the project, said that the cracks were not on the bridge itself but on the approach road from Ulwe in Navi Mumbai.
The 'Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu', also known as the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), that connects south Mumbai with the satellite city of Navi Mumbai, was inaugurated in January this year. Built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, this six-lane bridge is 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km sea-link.
Talking to reporters, Patole alleged that the state government has crossed all limits of corruption and put people's lives at risk.
"A portion of the Atal Setu bridge has developed cracks within three months of the inauguration and a half-a-kilometre-long stretch of the road near Navi Mumbai has caved in by a foot. The state has spent Rs 18,000 crore for the MTHL," he said.
"The bridge has been named after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and yet the government indulged in corruption. This is very unfortunate," he said.
Patole also claimed that all environmental norms have been set aside for the Navi Mumbai International Airport as mangroves have been destroyed.
Reacting to the Congress leader's allegations, BJP said on X that the cracks seen are not on Atal Setu but on the road leading to the bridge.
Immediate repair works were undertaken, it said.
"Stop maligning Atal Setu," it said.
The MMRDA issued a statement saying, "There have been rumours circulating about cracks on the MTHL bridge. We want to clarify that these cracks are not on the bridge itself but on the approach road connecting the MTHL from Ulwe towards Mumbai."
During an inspection by the Operation and Maintenance team on June 20, 2024, minor cracks were found on the road surface near the edges at three locations on Ramp 5 (the ramp towards Mumbai), it said.
"These cracks are minor and are located along the edge of the road. It is important to note that these cracks are not due to any structural defects. They are minor longitudinal cracks in the asphalt pavement, which can be effectively repaired without impacting the life or performance of the pavement," it said.
The contractor has already commenced the repair work, which will be completed within 24 hours. This work is being carried out without causing any disruption to traffic, the agency added.
Viral | Atal Setu inaugurated by PM in January this year has developed cracks & fissures in the very first rainfall it faced, Lokshahi channel exposes. pic.twitter.com/M4uvPT30rD
— MUMBAI NEWS (@Mumbaikhabar9) June 21, 2024
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Chhattisgarh govt enforces austerity measures, restricts foreign travel and cuts convoy vehicles
Raipur (PTI): The Chhattisgarh government on Saturday rolled out a set of austerity measures, including restricted use of convoy vehicles for the chief minister, ministers and heads of state-run bodies, besides curbs on foreign travel at government expense.
The state has decided to implement the cost-saving steps with immediate effect to ensure efficient management of financial resources and discipline in public spending, said a directive issued by Finance Secretary Rohit Yadav.
The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The order said that only essential vehicles should be used in the convoys of the CM, ministers and office-bearers of corporations, boards and commissions, while ensuring restrained use of other government resources.
It also directed departments to take steps for a phased conversion of all official vehicles into electric vehicles in order to promote the use of EVs.
As part of fuel-saving measures, expenditure on petrol and diesel for government vehicles should be kept to a minimum, the directive said.
Vehicle pooling arrangements should also be implemented for officials of departments travelling to the same destination, it added.
The order further stated that foreign travel of government employees at state expenses will be completely prohibited except under extremely unavoidable circumstances. In such cases, prior approval of the CM will be mandatory.
To reduce administrative expenditure, departments have been instructed to hold physical meetings preferably only once a month and encourage virtual and online meetings. Regular departmental review meetings should compulsorily be conducted through video conferencing, it said.
The government also stressed the need for energy conservation in its offices, directing that all electrical equipment, including lights, fans, air-conditioners and computers, must be switched off after office hours.
The directive will remain effective till September 30 this year.
Amid the war involving the US, Israel and Iran, Modi has suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of EVs, utilising railway services for parcel movement and working from home to conserve foreign exchange.
