Mumbai Coastal Road Project: The politics, the controversies and the challenges

Mumbai is on the brink of a significant transformation with the much-anticipated Coastal Road Project. For years, Mumbaikars have grappled with traffic congestion, limited transportation options, and environmental challenges. The Coastal Road Project aims to address these issues while enhancing connectivity, reduce travel time, and revitalize the city's waterfront areas.

Proposed as a 29.2-kilometer-long freeway along the western coastline of Mumbai, the Coastal Road Project promises to be a game-changer for the city's infrastructure landscape. Stretching from Nariman Point in South Mumbai to Kandivali in the northern suburbs, the road will provide a crucial link between the southern and northern parts of the city, bypassing congested inland routes.

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However, the project has also faced its share of controversies and challenges. Environmentalists have raised concerns about its potential impact on marine life, coastal ecosystems, and the city's coastline. The construction of sea walls and reclamation activities have raised questions about their long-term sustainability and environmental consequences.

Furthermore, the project's high cost and funding issues have been subject to debate. With an estimated cost of over Rs 12,000 crore, the Coastal Road Project is one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in Mumbai's history. Securing funding and managing costs effectively will be crucial to the project's success and long-term viability.

Despite these challenges, the anticipation and excitement among Mumbaikars for the Coastal Road Project remain palpable. The project represents a significant investment in the city's future, with the potential to improve mobility, enhance resilience, and transform Mumbai's waterfront areas. As construction progresses and the vision of a modern, interconnected Mumbai takes shape, Mumbaikars eagerly await the realisation of this ambitious infrastructure project.

What do Mumbaikars have to say about the Coastal Road Project?

Harembh Koli, a 25-year-old professional residing in Worli, believes that the inauguration of the project at this time is influenced by the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

He questions the rationale behind the delay in completing the project, which was initially scheduled for earlier years. "Why wasn't it completed last year and was delayed to 2024? Why did the state government and BMC earlier set deadlines for this project as 2022 and 2023," he asked.

"Clearly, the heady battle for Mumbai's coast is in sync with the country's ongoing elections. It reflects a general understanding among the government and policymakers that solving the city's congestion and traffic problems solves everything else. However, these projects will only expel the city's traditional fishing community and cause environmental degradation due to land reclamation. And despite the humongous expenses and effort, mobility, and quality of life for ordinary citizens is unlikely to improve," Koli said.

While, the government's stance on road projects is focused on improving connectivity, alleviating congestion, and decreasing traffic volumes, critics argue that this approach is akin to burying one's head in the sand.

According to an architect who preferred to remain anonymous, Mumbai's current road infrastructure is ill-equipped to accommodate the increased traffic resulting from the construction of new highways, freeways, and sea links. Moreover, evidence suggests that expanding road networks, providing ample parking, and minimizing congestion actually encourage more people to own cars and exacerbate traffic congestion rather than alleviating it, he said.

Pooja Vanarse, a 30-year-old professional residing in Girgaon, however, expressed optimism about the future comfort and convenience of Mumbaikars once the Mumbai Coastal Road project is finalized and accessible.

However, she also highlighted the current inconvenience caused by ongoing construction activities. Commuting from Girgaon Chowpatty to Nariman Point, which typically takes 15-20 minutes, now faces delays due to bottlenecks caused by the coastal road construction at Marine Drive. Vanarse emphasized that this situation reflects poor urban planning, leading to competition between simultaneous projects such as the metro and coastal road. She criticized the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's track record, suggesting that new developments often come at the expense of neglecting existing infrastructure.

What do officials have to say about the Mumbai Coastal Road Project?

Starting from Marine Lines in South Mumbai, the coastal road Mumbai project reaches Kandivali in the Western suburbs. The project will have two underground tunnels at Malabar Hill and Girgaon Chowpatty. It will have green spaces, a sea wall and multiple interchanges.

The Mumbai Coastal Road Project Phase-1 will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 19, 2024, said Iqbal Singh Chahal, BMC commissioner. Under the first phase, a 10-kilometre, four-lane south-bound stretch from Worli to Marine Drive will be opened for the public a day after the inauguration.

The time taken to travel from Worli to Marine Drive is around 40 minutes which will be reduced to 10 minutes once Phase-1 of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project is made operational.

Officials say that the Mumbai Coastal Road Project will help to ease traffic. Mumbai's existing road network is heavily burdened, leading to long commute times and increased pollution levels. By providing an alternative coastal route, the project aims to reduce traffic congestion on existing roads, particularly in densely populated areas like Worli, Mahim, and Bandra.

"One side of the coastal road's phase-I will be open for motorists by February 2024. The connecting bridge from the coastal road to Bandra Worli sea link at Worli end will be completed by May 2024," Chief Engineer of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project M M Swami told mid-day.

At the end of 2023, the BMC awarded four infrastructure firms contracts for the second phase of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project. The Mumbai Coastal Road Project, designed to connect Versova in the western suburbs to Dahisar in the northernmost part of Mumbai, has been divided into six packages (A, B, C, D, E, and F).

In the BMC budget for 2024-25, Rs 2,800 crore is allocated for the Marine Drive to Worli stretch, Rs 1,130 crore for the Versova-Dahisar stretch, and Rs 220 crore for the Dahisar to Bhayander route.

"The second phase between Bandra to Versova is likely to be completed by 2026. While the project between Versova to Dahisar is likely to be completed by 2030," Swami said.

The Mumbai Coastal Road Project will have a Modern Traffic Management system for traffic control and safety will be installed. This system will include CCTV, a Video management system, an Emergency communication system and an Instant communication system with the Police and Fire Brigade etc.

When asked about untoward incidents and security on the coastal road, Swami said CCTV cameras have been installed across the coastal road. "The BMC is also setting up a special disaster control room for the coastal road. The disaster control room is dedicated to the coastal road, where officials will keep an eye on traffic. The construction of ground-plus-one structure for the control room is already underway at Tata Garden in South Mumbai," he added.

Talking about safety, Ashwini Bhide had earlier said, "The project design has factored in the probable disasters, apart from environmental compliances and ease of living for citizens."

About 13.6 per cent of the project area i.e. 15,60,770 square feet (14.50 hectares) is earmarked for the construction of a safety wall that will protect against sea waves. The 8.5 km long sea wall is built in such a way that marine life flourishes, while corrosion, soil erosion and tidal effects are taken care of. This will also be an important issue for disaster management matters. For the construction of the wave wall, which will act as a protection wall, the highest level of flood has been taken into account. It is going to act as a protection for the city from flood and storm surges. These are going to be beneficial not just to the coastal road, but to that section of the city as well, she said.

Bhide further said that besides, all necessary fire protection measures have been provided for in the project. The 2 km long twin tunnels have all provisions for fire safety. The saccardo ventilation system provided with the tunnels will improve ventilation and airflow. Hence, in case of a fire incident in one tunnel, the other will remain smoke-free. The whole structure is built in a manner to resist 100 MW fire for three hours! There would be fire retardant materials and fire boards provided in a way to resist a temperature of 1200 degrees Celsius for three hours.