Social media was recently flooded with allegations that the newly constructed Atal Setu bridge, also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), had developed cracks, posing a danger to commuters. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole inspected the site and raised significant concerns about commuter safety, accusing the government of corruption and endangering public lives. Following Patole’s visit, social media platform X saw numerous posts from Congress supporters highlighting the alleged cracks, with some accounts attributing the issues to the BJP government’s corruption.
One user, Ashish Singh, shared a video of Patole’s visit, while another Congress supporter posted an image of actress Rashmika Mandanna alongside pictures of road cracks, claiming they were from the bridge. News outlets such as India Today and Times Now also reported on the alleged cracks.
However, Kailash Ganatra, project head of Atal Setu Package 4 from Strabag Company, dismissed these claims as baseless. Ganatra clarified that the cracks were not on the Atal Setu bridge itself but on the approach road connecting MTHL to Mumbai from Ulwe. He explained that the service road was a temporary construction and the cracks, caused by rain, were minor and would be repaired promptly. Ganatra emphasized that the cracks did not indicate any structural issues with the bridge.
The Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Bridge, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January, connects Mumbai to Navi Mumbai and features a toll system for various vehicles. The spread of misinformation regarding the bridge appears to be part of a broader strategy by Congress to discredit the BJP government, reminiscent of tactics used during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
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