Motorists believe the amount of fuel saved makes BWSL a cheaper alternative to Mahim Causeway
Motorists believe the amount of fuel saved makes BWSL a cheaper alternative to Mahim Causeway
The Rs 50 toll came into effect yesterday, but city motorists continue to remain enthusiastic about the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
Many say that it is still cheaper to use the sea link than take the Mahim Causeway, the only other route to south Mumbai.
Said Western India Automobile Association chairman Nitin Dossa, "When I travel from Bandra to Worli on the Mahim Causeway in my Honda City, I waste an hour's time and two litres petrol worth Rs 97.
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If I take the sea link, I pay only Rs 50 and I reach Worli in eight to 10 minutes. I save on a lot of fuel and this is significant, with the recent increase in fuel prices."
While the Mahim Causeway route has 23 traffic signals between the Bandra-Worli stretch, the sea link has only four.u00a0
During peak hours, a return journey via the Mahim Causeway will cost a motorist two hours and Rs 194 for four litres of petrol.
On the other hand, a return journey on the sea link takes only 20 minutes. Adding the cost of a two-way toll (Rs 75) and one litre petrol (Rs 47.50), it comes up to only Rs 122.50. A motorist stills saves Rs 71.50.
Time saved
Sudhir Badami, a transport expert said, "Travel time from Bandra to Worli on the Mahim Causeway route takes approximately 45 minutes during morning peak hours, and an hour in the evening, with vehicles crawling at an average speed of 20 kmph."
"With BWSL, a motorist will save the time and fuel he spends idling in traffic jams and signals. A smart driver will drive the car at an optimum speed of 40-50 kmph on BWSL, switch off the engine while waiting at the signal and save fuel," he added.
'It took me just eight minutes'
In the first five days when BWSL was toll free, the bridge saw a daily turnout of around one lakh motorists.
However, after the toll came into effect yesterday, the traffic situation on the bridge, on the Western Express Highway and on Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan road improved tremendously.
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Before and after
Comparing his two experiences on the BWSL before and after the toll came into effect, motorist Mahesh Joshi said, "I had driven on the BWSL on the first day it opened.
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It took me an hour just to cross the bridge. But yesterday, it took me just eight minutes. There was hardly any traffic. I saved more than 50 minutes. I don't mind paying the toll."
A senior traffic police official confirmed, "There was no traffic jam yesterday and we even reduced the number of traffic personnel deputed to guide the traffic."
50K elephants
Weight of the BWSL
38,000 km
Steel ropes used, equivalent to the earth's circumference
63 times
The height of Delhi's Qutub Minar
Rs 9 crore
Cost of illumination
1.25 lakh
Number of vehicles on the Mahim Causeway every day
90,000 tonnes
Amount of cement used in the construction, which can make five buildings of 10-storeys each
23
The number of traffic signals between Bandra and Worli on the Mahim Causeway route
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