“We’re carrying out a survey on the Mahim causeway stretch on how many motorists were using it before and how many after the sea link opened,” said U P S Madan, Project Director of the Mumbai Transformation Support Unit of the All India Institute of Local Self Government.

The first numbers indicate that Mumbaikars are yet to warm up to the novelty. According the survey, due to be submitted Friday, the number of sea link users is half the estimate of the project consultant. The consultant’s estimation in 2005 was 75,000 passenger car units (PCUs) daily; the survey estimates the actual count at 32,000.

“Around 4,500 PCUs use the Mahim causeway in peak hour per direction (PHPD); of these around 2,000 to 2,100 PCUs PHPD are now using the sea link. This comes to around 32,000 PCUs per day,” said an expert involved with the survey.

The toll collection authority, MEP Pvt Ltd, had estimated 40,000 to 45,000 per day. “In the first 24 hours since tolling started, around 30,000 PCUs used the sea link; the next day the number rose by 2,000,” admitted Nitin Bansode, general manager (toll), IRB Infrastructure Development Ltd.

Yet, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation is not disappointed. Vivek Ghanekar, superintendent engineer, BWSL, said, “It will take some time for motorists to realise the benefits of using the sea link. We’re confident the number will go up.”