India, March 16 -- It's two months since India's longest sea bridge -- Atal Setu or the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) -- connecting south Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, was opened.

As the first excitement over the engineering marvel settled, HT did parallel test drives on both the new and old routes to test its viability for the public. This was the result: it took longer to reach Panvel via Atal Setu from the eastern and western suburbs compared to the tried-and-tested route after crossing Vashi toll plaza in Navi Mumbai. However, travel from South Mumbai to Navi Mumbai took 25 minutes less than the traditional route. (See route map.)

This is no cause for worry, as urban planners and transport experts said Atal Setu will become the road o...