Mumbai: The Bandra-Worli Sea Link was thrown open to commuters in Mumbai at 7 o'clock on Wednesday morning after it's formal inauguration on Tuesday.
Commuters turned up in large numbers for their first drive on the link, an engineering marvel, which may go a long way in putting in an end to one Mumbai's worst traffic gridlocks.
But the first day of the sea link was, however, chaotic. Traffic moved at snail's pace with everybody wanting to drive on Mumbai's engineering marvel as toll of Rs 50 being waived off for four days. Many vehicles were on the road to get a free ride.
In comparison, the land route was relatively emptier with cars not having to drive bumper to bumper. Roads in Mahim, which are otherwise choked, were the better option on day 1.
The opening of the sea link had become a political rally, which looked as a soft launch to the Assembly elections. The Congress even went ahead and named the bridge after Rajiv Gandhi.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sainiks gathered at the sea link late on Tuesday night to protest against the naming of the sea link after Rajiv Gandhi.
Around 25 Shiv Sainiks gathered together at the sea link with banners, shouted slogans and dispersed.
Their demand was that the link be named after Veer Savarkar who was more connected to Mumbai and Marathi people than Rajiv Gandhi.