A month after the inauguration of India's longest sea bridge in Mumbai, the excitement persists. Joggers and drivers alike are visiting Atal Setu, linking Sewri in Mumbai to Chirle in Navi Mumbai, to enjoy its stunning views. Recently, toll booth staff encountered a tricky situation as a man tried to access the bridge for a morning run.
Despite efforts to clarify that the bridge wasn't for pedestrians, a man persisted, offering to pay a fine. A staff member at the Shivaji Nagar toll booth of Atal Setu, also known as MTHL, noted, "He knew he was wrong but was set on jogging on the bridge." Though fewer joyriders visit MTHL, toll booth staff still face many vehicles entering without Fastag or enough balance. "There's a penalty for no Fastag. We asked for cash plus the penalty," said a representative, mentioning most are first-time sea link visitors. A separate lane caters to cash-paying motorists.
Initially, toll collection issues led some to skip payment, but with round-the-clock staff, evasion is no longer possible. Yet, about 3.5% of vehicles evaded tolls in the first month of the country's longest sea bridge. A 24-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was booked by Mumbai police for illegally entering MTHL a week after opening. The driver wanted to 'explore' the sea bridge, leading to his unauthorized entry. Gulfaroj Mujawar from the Nhava Sheva traffic unit reported around 1400 motorists fined for halting on the sea link for selfies.