Cracks On Mumbai's Atal Setu: MMRDA Imposes ₹1 Cr Fine On Contractor, Seeks Action Plan To Rectify Defects

Two months after cracks were found on the approach road of India’s longest sea bridge- Atal Setu, it has come to light that the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on the contractor Strabag. The ambitious bridge- which connects south Mumbai to Ulwe in Navi Mumbai was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in January 2024.

MMRDA’s response to cracks on Atal Setu

Right to Information (RTI) activist Anil Gangali said, “The MMRDA informed that in the case of potholes on the approach road of the Atal Setu, some small cracks were found in the temporary road connecting Ramp 5 of the bridge during the inspection carried out in the third week of June 2024. It was not part of the main bridge. However, the cracks were promptly repaired. A show cause notice has been issued to the contractor Strabag in this regard,” the authority informed.

As per the documents received by Galgali, “On June 22, 2024, MMRDA Chief Engineer DM Chamalwar issued a notice to the contractor Strabag informing that the said road work has been completed on January 5, 2024. Still, the quality of work is not maintained.

“After this, Atal Setu's consultant KR Shivanand sent a notice of Rs 1 crore to the contractor Strabag to correct the above issue within 48 hours of receiving this notice. In addition, provide a detailed action plan outlining the measures you will take to rectify these defects and bring the pavement quality up to the required standards,” the notice said.

What MMRDA said in June

The MMRDA in an official statement in June clarified that minor cracks were found on the approach road connecting Atal Setu in Ulwe, which is not a part of the bridge but is a service road connecting the bridge. It also stated that the cracks are not due to structural defects in the project and do not pose any threat to the structure of the bridge.