IANS reported that after supplying steel for critical components in India's first moon mission Chandrayaan and the first railway tracks in Jammu and Kashmir, Steel Authority of India Limited has earned another feather, propping the nation's first open sea bridge.

Senior company official said almost 2 to 3 of the steel used in the construction of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link has come from the public sector giant.

According to the official, while the INR 1,600 crore Bandra-Worli Sea Link, due for inauguration later this month, has gobbled up nearly 22,235 tonne of steel, SAIL's share is pegged at over 13,780 tonne. Its steel components include thermo mechanically treated bars, 36 mm to 40 mm plates, cables and structural have gone into creating a marvel that can withstand powerful sea currents, strong winds and gales.

Taking 10 years to be completed, the cable supported 8 lane bridge will be the country's first open sea link, reducing travel time between suburban Bandra with Worli in the south from 60 minutes to 90 minutes now to barely 6 minutes to 8 minutes.

The bridge rests on 2 towers, each 126 meters tall or equivalent to a 43 storeyed building. The government also has plans to provide a viewers gallery at the top of the towers that would offer a bird's eye view of the entire city. There is a modern, automated, 16 lane toll plazas at the southern end, and the bridge has been equipped with sophisticated security and monitoring systems.

(Sourced from IANS)