MSRTC to run four AC 'Shivneri' buses between Mumbai and Pune via Mumbai Trans Harbour Link on experimental basis

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation MSRTC on Monday said it will operate four airconditioned Shivneri buses between Mumbai and Pune via Mumbai Trans Harbour Link MTHL on an experimental basis from February 20The move will cut the travel time between the two cities by one hour while the fare for the Shivneri buses will remain unchanged the transport body stated in a release according to newswire PTIAs per the release the Shivneri buses on the Pune railway stationMantralaya and SwargateDadar routes departing at 630 am and 7 am respectively will reach Mumbai via MTHL and will be operated the same way on the return journey as wellThe buses will be plied via Panvel NhavaSheva and Sewri to access the MTHL the longest sea bridge in the countryThe bridge originates from Sewri in Mumbai and terminates at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka of Raigad districtMSRTC is one of the largest public transport bodies in the country with a fleet of around 15000 buses More than 60 lakh passengers travel in these buses every dayMeanwhile Mumbai Trans Harbour Link MTHL sea bridge has recorded traffic of over 8 lakh vehicles as of February 15 as per the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA reported news agency ANIThe 218 kmlong countrys longest Mumbai Trans Harbour Link between Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai and Sewri in Mumbai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12 and opened for the public on the very next dayMMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee speaking to ANI said that the vehicles passing without toll on the bridge have become a matter of serious concernNearly 4 per cent vehicles have gone without paying the toll since the inauguration of the bridge on January 12 with an average of Rs 30000 per day on Atal Setu Bridge and 4 per cent of the vehicles go without paying the toll naka which remains a matter of concern for the authorities he saidHe further said that the journey from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai through this bridge has taken just 20 minutesMore than 8 lakh vehicles have passed on this bridge so far the journey from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai through this bridge has become just 20 minutes he saidMukherjee further said that as many as 4 accidents took place on this bridge within a month in which 5 people were injured including one in serious conditionWe have installed a worldclass automatic traffic management system It has 400 cameras out of which 36 are installed under the bridge to keep an eye on the happenings there Other cameras are highresolution They are not static they move where theres movement It can even capture the number plate of a moving car he addedHe also said that there are thermalsensitive cameras as well to keep a watch on vehicles in the absence of light or foggy conditionsSpeed guns and calling centres have also been installed The control room is functional 247 he addedThe muchhyped Mumbai Trans Harbour Link sea bridge has also become a popular spot for people to take selfies by stopping their vehicles on the bridge prompting police to take actionSpeaking on the same Mukherjee said There was misinformation that the rescue rooms on the MTHL are actually selfie points I would like to clarify that this is false and please do not pay heed to such informationrdquoThe 218kilometre bridge of which 165 km is on the sea and remaining 55 viaducts on road on either sides provides endtoend connectivity between Sewri South Mumbai to Chirle Navi Mumbai It has three interchanges at Sewri of South Mumbai Ulwe and Chirle both in Navi Mumbai With inputs from agencies