Its a stinking bridge!

The hype and buzz created for the opening of the Bandra Worli sealink was positively nauseating. It was everywhere. On the news channels, in the papers, on the radio stations! I fail to understand why it was blown so much out of proportion. It is simply a 4km bridge that happens to be on the open sea. Rather than being shameful of the delays and cost overruns associated with the project, we have conveniently ignored the fact that the world has moved on to "chunnels" and are celebrating the achievement. And to what end? Well if the intent was to get Mumbaikars to use the sealink, it succeeded. Succeeded too well, infact, thanks largely to the government's magnanimity of declaring it free for the first 5 days. It was a mega disaster as far as reducing commute time went.

And the traffic arrangements at the Worli exit are ludicrous. Traffic coming at 50kmph is supposed to make a 90 degree turn!! How did that get through the planners? I am sure if someone digs deep enough, we will learn that the contractors responsible for the sea link and the approach roads were different and didnt care to communicate.

Let my cynicism not get in the way of acknowledging that the sea link will possibly help reduce Mumbai's traffic snarls, albeit marginally. Personally, the Mahim route is what I will continue to take on a daily basis although I might decide to try out the link one of these days. And if the sealink does what it was meant to - reduce congestion on the Mahim causeway -  you wont hear any more complaints from me!!