A 3.5-km stretch of the Mumbai Coastal Road project (MCRP) north-bound carriageway was opened for vehicular traffic at 7 am on Thursday. The newly accessible section, spanning from Haji Ali to Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Road in Worli, is expected to reduce travel times from south Mumbai to the suburbs.
Part of the nearly 12-kilometer-long MCRP, this stretch will help motorists bypass the notorious traffic congestion typically encountered between Haji Ali and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The carriageway will be open to vehicles from Monday to Friday, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. It will, however, be closed on weekends to allow for the completion of the remaining project work. Around 91% of work on the ambitious coastal road project has been completed till now.
Constructed by the BMC, the 10.58-km Coastal Road stretches from Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli-end of the BWSL. The northbound carriageway – between Worli and Marine Drive – was opened for traffic on March 12. The twin tunnels, each measuring 2.072 km, with an internal diameter of 11 metres, are being constructed between Priyadarshini Park and Girgaum Chowpatty. Comprising 4+4 lanes, the Coastal Road has slashed travel time by 70% and fuel consumption by 34%.
The civic body successfully launched two 'Bowarch String' girders to connect coastal roads and BWSL in May. After completing the remaining work, the two lanes (south and north) from Marine Drive to the connector were expected to be open for traffic by the end of July. However, the work has been delayed due to heavy rains and is now expected to open by August 15. The entire road from Marine Drive to Bandra-Worli Sea link is expected to be completed by November.
