Sea link: Traffic jam on Day One!

The Bandra-Worli sea link, which was just thrown open for public, on Wednesday experienced huge traffic snarls with vehicles moving at a snail's pace on the bridge.

"There was traffic congestion on the sea-link due to a speed breaker at the Worli exit point. Four-wheelers slowed down when they arrived this point. To clear the backlog, the speed breaker was removed," Sanjay Jadhav, a constable deployed to monitor traffic at Worli, told PTI.

A sharp turn and a lengthy divider at Worli were a few other reasons attributed to traffic jams. "We have also suggested removing a divider at Worli exit point," he said.

With no toll till July 5, the number of vehicles using this bridge would be huge and traffic snarls are expected to continue at both the ends, police said.

The Rs 1,600-crore (Rs 16 billion) sea link, an alternative route to south Mumbai from the western suburbs, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Travellers complained that it took 35 minutes to pass the 5.6 km bridge. "We thought it would be like any other express highway and we would enjoy a speed ride, watching the sea. It took 35 minutes to reach Worli from Bandra, thanks to traffic," Valentine Fernandes (32), a real estate agent said.

"I expect the traffic will be bad on the bridge as there is no toll for the next five days," said D Chauhan, who works in Worli.

Considered an engineering marvel, the cable-stayed bridge, a first-of-its-kind in the country, is providing a free-way across the sea and expected to reduce travel time between the two points from the present 60-90-minutes to 10 minutes.

The 5.6 km-long and eight-lane project commissioned by the Maharashtra State Road Development Transport Corporation and Maharashtra Government has been built by Hindustan Construction Company.

About 1.25 lakh (125,000) vehicles are expected to travel on the bridge daily.

With only four-wheelers being allowed on the bridge, passengers are hiring taxis to have a view of the wonderful structure, Krishnalal Kalhar (32), a taxi driver, said.

But those who have two-wheelers are an unhappy lot with the government not allowing them on the bridge. "The experience altogether would be different when you ride your bike on the bridge. Hope, two-wheelers would be allowed after the officials open remaining four lanes." Kalhar said.