The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to open one arm of the coastal road's 'bowstring' arch bridge, connected to the Bandra-Worli sea link, on Thursday, September 12. Once open to the public, it will provide a signal-free ride from Marine Drive to Bandra.
The remaining work on the coastal road is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
According to a report in the Times of India, the opening of the 'bowstring' arch bridge is expected to be a low-key event. The connector will be open to the public after an inspection by CM Eknath Shinde, who inaugurated the road in March this year.
A BMC official told TOI that a southbound connector would be opened on Thursday, but in the evenings, due to heavier northbound traffic, the southbound connector will be used for northbound vehicles.
The coastal road, which was inaugurated with a grand ceremony in March this year, was initially opened from Worli to Marine Drive. In June, the northbound carriageway up to Haji Ali was opened, followed by the Haji Ali-Worli stretch a month later. The northbound section operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Friday, while the southbound section is open all week, except for closures at Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk on Saturdays and Sundays. Once the entire road is completed, the BMC plans to develop the surrounding open spaces, including butterfly parks, cycling tracks, and a promenade.
