Mumbai: BMC aims to partially open Coastal Road in February 2024

BMC hopes to partially open the road next year. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Even as the demand for the opening of the southbound arm of the Mumbai coastal road is gaining momentum, a section of BMC officials is averse to the idea because according to them this would create hindrance in the ongoing work of the northbound arm of the bridge. As per the schedule, southbound traffic on the Mumbai coastal road was proposed to start from November 2023. But, due to some technical glitches, the work got delayed and now plans are afoot to start one arm of this bridge by mid-February. A senior civic official on condition of anonymity stated that if the southbound bridge is opened there would be vehicular movement.

The entire coastal road project is expected to be completed by May 2024. Pic/Anurag Ahire

"Once the public starts using one arm of this bridge the movement of vehicles carrying material and other supplies for completion of the northbound arm will be affected. Hence, we are trying to complete heavy machinery work by February. But if work is not completed in the northbound arm, we need to work on traffic management," said the official.

According to engineers, work related to heavy machinery for the northbound arm should be completed by February 2024. "But, if one arm of the bridge is open, one will need to do proper traffic management to ensure smooth movement of vehicles for the public and the contractor too," the engineer said.

As pressure to start the coastal road is mounting, BMC officials are working on a plan to start southbound lanes for public use. The work of the entire bridge is expected to be completed by May 2024. The work on the Mumbai coastal road is 86 per cent complete and what remains is the connector of the coastal road and sea link.

BMC officials who are working on coastal road projects discuss traffic management with traffic police. "Yes, BMC officials asked us to suggest traffic management for the approaches to the coastal road. We are working on mainly, single barricading for traffic and speed humps," said an official from traffic police.

Additional municipal commissioner (AMC) Ashwini Bhide said work is still in progress and declined to make any other comment. Meanwhile, the connecting bridge from the coastal road to Bandra Worli sea link at Worli end will be completed by May 2024. As there was a change in design and distance in the pillar, it was delayed. According to the original plan, the distance between the pillars of the bridge connecting the sea link was 60 metres.

However, now the distance between pillars has increased to 120 metres. As that was the demand of the local fisherman community. Doing so hampered the project dateline and cost also. The cost of the project rose by Rs 820 crore. The project cost was Rs 12,721 crore which has now risen to Rs 13,060 crore as there was a change in design at coastal road and sea link connector. The total project length is 10.58 km from Worli to Nariman Point.

The BMC started construction of the coastal road in December 2018 and it was expected the 10.58 km road will be operational by November 2023. The work on the coastal road was going on even during the strictest lockdown of 2020. There are several issues like damage to the Tunnel Boring Machine, the legal battle in the Supreme Court's and the longer span between pillars of the bridge at Worli which delayed the project. AMC Bhide did not respond to the message about who is handling the coastal road project.

Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held between April and May and the election code of conduct is likely to come into effect from the second or third week of February. The state government has already decided to open the Mumbai Trans Harbour project between Sewri Nhava Sheva in December. The coastal road is another ambitious project in the city.

Feb 2024
Month coastal road is likely to be opened partially