Mumbai Coastal Road Project to be partly functional in November 2023; windup likely by May'24

One of the esteemed projects of India's Financial Capital, the 8-lane, 29.2 km-long Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) will be partly operational from November 2023. The entire high-speed corridor is expected to be fully operational for vehicular traffic by May 2024, with around 76% of the work being completed, according to BMC officials. Moreover, only one of the underground tunnels will be spread out for traffic movement in November.

Recently baptised as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Highway, this road is set to tie Mumbai's most southern part to Kandivali's northern region. The first phase of the project includes a 10.5 km-long path from Princess Street Flyover at Marine Lines, to the Worli-end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL). Phase two is a 19.22-km-long road joining Bandra with Kandivali.

The highway will house a 2.07 km-long twin tunnel, that will originate in Girgaon, ahead of Marine Drive and run below the Arabian Sea. The other end of the tunnels will be at Priyadarshini Park (PDP).

Constructed at a cost of 12,213 crores, this highway will feature three vehicular interchanges - one at Amarsons Garden in Breach Candy, the other at Haji Ali and the final interchange at Worli. Reportedly, the travel time between Marine Drive and Worli will be reduced to 10 minutes, topping over the present 45-minute mark during peak hours.

Civic officials are currently considering two options to partially open the bridge: one between Marine Drive and Haji Ali Promenade, and the other from Marine Drive to JK Kapoor Chowk at the Worli Interchange. As per reports, modifications are being made to the design of the vehicular interchange at Worli, which will delay the entire bridge's inauguration in November 2023.

The officials also said that while Cyclone Biparjoy passed over Mumbai, the sea wall built as an outer perimeter of this project, was highly effective in tackling tidal waves. The wall has already weathered two monsoons and going further, it should ideally be an additional layer of protection during natural disasters.

Running along the Arabian Sea, this engineering marvel once complete, is expected to augment Mumbai’s infrastructure. Additionally, it will significantly reduce travel time for daily commuters and reduce congestion at most parts, along the way. As a result of the bridge, tourism in Mumbai is also expected to hike up.