Cracks on Atal Setu bridge? BJP hits back after Congress leader's claims

PTC Web Desk: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday accused the BJP and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) of corruption in the construction of the Atul Setu bridge as he inspected cracks that had appeared on the bridge.

Congress leader Patole accused the BJP and MMRDA of endangering people's lives by claiming that the bridge's construction quality was subpar and that a section of the road had caved in by a foot. 

This six-lane bridge spans 21.8 kilometres and includes a 16.5-kilometer sea link that connects South and Navi Mumbai.

"The bridge was named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, yet the government engaged in corruption. This is extremely unfortunate," Patole said.

Both the BJP and the MMRDA have responded to this allegation, claiming that the cracks are on the approach road from Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, not the bridge itself.

The BJP responded to the allegations on X by stating that the cracks are not on the bridge and that immediate fixes are being made to resolve the issue. MMRDA also stated along these lines.

The MMRDA statement also stated that during an inspection by the Operations and Maintenance team on June 20, 2024, minor cracks were found on the road surface near the edges at three locations on Ramp 5. The cracks are minor longitudinal cracks in the asphalt pavement that can be easily repaired, according to the statement.

MMRDA stated that the repairs will be completed within 24 hours.

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