The Mumbai Coastal Road stretches over 10.58 km.
The second phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR), connecting Worli to Marine Drive, has been inaugurated today. Phase 2, which is the northbound carriageway from Marine Drive to Haji Ali, will be open to traffic starting tomorrow.
Initially, the road will operate for 16 hours a day due to ongoing work to connect it with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
The announcement came during Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's inspection of a leakage in the southbound tunnel at Marine Drive. The coastal road's southbound section from Worli to Marine Drive opened on March 12.
On April 10, water entered the pedestrian underpass of the Haji Ali Coastal Road, drawing criticism against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The cause of the tunnel leakage is still being investigated. Mr Shinde, who visited the site, said he immediately contacted the commissioner and noted leaks at two or three places.
Experts confirmed that there was no threat to the original structure. Mr Shinde assured that a permanent solution will be implemented using specific technology, and passengers will not face issues during the rainy season.
All about the Mumbai coastal road
1. The Mumbai Coastal Road stretches over 10.58 km, connecting from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
2. Constructed by the BMC, this road will reduce congestion between south Mumbai and the western suburbs. Commute times have been slashed by 70%, while fuel consumption has dropped by 34%.
3. It has a layout of 4+4 lanes, and the road has an array of modern infrastructure elements, including a bridge on stilts, an elevated road, and twin tunnels.
4. The road has strategically placed interchanges at key locations such as Amarsons Garden, Haji Ali and Worli Seaface to make traffic flow smoother.
5. The project has seen a total expenditure of ₹13,984 crore till now.
The Coastal Road, part of Mumbai's master plan from 1967, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.