Mumbai, Jun 22 (IANS): The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said on Saturday that the repair work on the approach ramp to the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as the Atal Setu, is in full swing and will be completed by tonight.

After a detailed inspection by the MMRDA’s operation and maintenance teams, the work started on Friday night despite heavy rain and has continued since then in full swing.

Built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, the six-lane bridge is 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km sea link connecting South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

In the past couple of days, there was speculation that the Atal Setu had allegedly developed cracks following which Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole went to the spot for an inspection on Friday.

Meanwhile, the MMRDA has reiterated that “the cracks on the approach road from Ulwe (Navi Mumbai side) are minor and located along the edge of the road”.

It added that the re-patch work on the cracks -- detected at three locations -- has been taken up without disrupting the MTHL traffic.

The MMRDA also said that contrary to the rumours, the cracks are not on the MTHL bridge, but on the approach ramp towards Mumbai on the Navi Mumbai end.

“The cracks on Ramp 5 are minor longitudinal cracks in the asphalt pavement and do not indicate any structural defects,” the MMRDA said.

The repair work has been taken up by the Package 4 contractor (Strabag Infrastructure & Safety Solutions GmbH and Strabag AG.

On Friday evening, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a post on X: "There is no crack on Atal Setu, nor is there any danger to Atal Setu. This is a picture of the approach road. But one thing is clear - Congress has made a long-term plan to create a 'rift' with the help of lies... Only the people of the country will defeat this 'daraar' plan and the corrupt behaviour of the Congress..."

After visiting the bridge on Friday, Patole claimed that barely six months after the Atal Setu was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (on January 12), cracks have appeared on it and a half-kilometre stretch of the road on the Navi Mumbai side has sunk by around one foot.

He pointed out that the government spent Rs 18,000 crore for the MTHL with loans, and “this is not development but sheer corruption, and the state government is filling its own pockets while playing with the lives of the people”.