Cracks in Mumbai sea link no cause for alarm: chief engineer

Mumbai, Nov 23 : The cracks and leaks detected on the surface of Mumbai's Bandra-Worli sea link bridge are of 'very minor' nature and are being tended to regularly, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Chief Engineer S. Sabnis said Monday.

"I would like to categorically say that there is absolutely no cause for any concern as highlighted in some sections," Sabnis told IANS.

The MSRDC is now busy to catch the January 2010 deadline for throwing open the remaining four lanes of the sea bridge that has become a landmark of Mumbai.

Sabnis added that since the sea link was opened in July, regular monthly checks were carried out on the entire structure, which is used by over 25,000 vehicles daily.

"Whenever there are such small problems, we inform the contractors, Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) Ltd. The bridge is built as per international specifications and I emphatically say that there is no cause for any kind of concern," Sabnis said.

After the remaining four lanes are thrown open early next year, the MSRDC will initiate the processes for extending the sea link to Haji Ali in south Mumbai and then to Versova (Andheri) in the north.

The 5.6-km long, eight-lane bridge (of which four are now operational) in the Arabian Sea, was built at a cost of Rs.1,600 crore and has drastically reduced travel time between north and south Mumbai.