With no toll till July 5, the number of vehicles using this bridge would be huge and traffic snarls are expected to continue at both the ends.
The Bandra-Worli sea-link, which was thrown open for public, today experienced huge traffic snarls with vehicles moving at a snail's pace on the brige.
"There was a traffic congestion on the sea-link due to a speed breaker at Worli exit point. The four-wheelers slowed down when they arrived this point. To clear the backlog, the speed breaker was removed," Sanjay Jadhav, a constable deployed to monitor traffic at Worli, said.
A sharp turn and a lengthy divider at Worli was another reason attributed for the traffic jams. "We have also suggested to remove a divider at Worli exit point," he said.
With no toll till July 5, the number of vehicles using this bridge would be huge and traffic snarls are expected to continue at both the ends, police said.
The Rs 1,600-crore Bandra-Worli sea-link, an alternative route to south Mumbai from the western suburbs, was inaugurated yesterday by Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Many people travelled for the first time on the bridge enjoyed their ride. But they also complained that it took 35 minutes to pass the bridge. "We thought it would be like any other express highway and we would enjoy a speed ride, watching the sea. The experience was pretty good. It took 35 minutes to reach Worli from Bandra, thanks to traffic," Valentine Fernandes (32), a real estage agent said.
"I expect the traffic will be bad on the bridge as there is no toll for the next five days," said D Chauhan, who works in Worli.
Considered as an engineering marvel, the cable-stayed bridge, a first-of-its-kind in India, is providing a free way through the sea and expected to reduce travel time between the two points from the present 60-90-minutes to 10 minutes.
The 4.8 km-long and eight-lane bridge project was commissioned by the Maharashtra State Road development Transport Corporation (MSRDC) and Maharashtra Government and has been built by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC).
About 1.25 lakh vehicles are expected to travel on the bridge daily.
"We are meeting international standards," Krishnalal Kalhar (32), a taxi driver, said. With only four-wheelers being allowed on the brige, passengers are hiring taxis to have a view of the wonderful structure, Kalhar added.
But those who have two-wheelers are a unhappy lot with the government not allowing them on the bridge. "The experience altogether would be different when you ride your bike on the bridge. Hope, two-wheelers would be allowed after the officials open remaining four lanes." Kalhar said.
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