Features:
>>An 8-lane bridge with 2 lanes dedicated for buses.
>>Unique bridge design for the Link Bridge to emerge as a landmark structure in the city of Mumbai.
>>Single tower supported 500 metre long cable-stayed bridge at Bandra Channel and twin tower supported 350 m cable-stayed bridge at Worli Channel for each carriageway.
>>Modern toll plaza of 16 lanes with automated toll collection system.
>>An intelligent bridge with state-of-the-art systems for traffic monitoring, surveillance, information and guidance, instrumentation, emergency support, etc.
>>Development of promenade and landscaping to enhance the environment.
Challenges:
>>Effective traffic management system after the end of the bridge as a signal is supposed to come up at a T-junction in a residential area. Also once traffic is offloaded off the bridge it moves onto a 6 lane road however, two lanes of this road go towards car parking as several buildings on the road do not have the provision for cars to be parked.
>>The Bridge opens out in front of a school which has students coming in at 8:00am and 11:00am (Peak Traffic Time), no provisions have been made for it.
>>A party hall is also just about 100 meters from the end of the bridge along Worli Sea Face Road which does not have an underground car park or entrance within the building as a result traffic is forced onto the main road which makes just about 2 lanes for travel possible at lunch time and the entire night after 7pm.
>>Worli Sea Face also offloads onto a road where a overpass had been built originally for the old plan of the bridge to move traffic but now it will create a huge problem as the cars must move below it where only 4 lanes are available. Also on either side of this road, there is a temple (Markandeshwar Mandir) and a shopping mall (Atria Shopping Mall). So the question of eased off traffic is totally nonexistent.
>>The toll for using the bridge is currently expected to be around Rs 50 (~$1) for each one way trip for four wheelers and no monthly passes will be issued. This makes it very expensive to use for any normal citizen. there will be no waiver off for taxis or buses either.
>>As a result of constant change of plans and other delays the cost of the bridge has risen 6 fold from Rs.300 Crore to Rs.1800 Crore. The amount of time to recover this cost would be at least 10 years.
>>It has also caused inconvenience to the residents of Worli Sea Face. The calm and quiet of this formerly traffic free area will be destroyed.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org
