Mumbai: Despite the southbound tunnel of the previously opened stretch developing leaks even in the absence of rainfall, the Maharashtra state government has decided to proceed with opening another section of the Coastal Road Project.
Concerns have been raised about the infrastructure's integrity, as water seepage and other related issues have already surfaced in the newly inaugurated portion. This decision to open an additional stretch, which includes three segments of Phase-2, comes amid ongoing efforts to address the existing problems.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that this new section is expected to be operational from June 10. The move has sparked discussions on the project's overall quality and the government's urgency to complete it despite the unresolved issues in the initial phase.
The southbound section of Phase-1, spanning 9.5 km of the 10.58 km Coastal Road Project in Mumbai, was inaugurated on March 11 and opened to the public on March 12. Now, three months later, another lane of the coastal road, including three segments of Phase-2, is expected to become operational on June 10, as announced by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday.
Mann Rele, a resident of Girgaon and a regular commuter of the Coastal Road who travels to Bandra, expressed his sentiments, saying, "We were initially thrilled to witness such remarkable development in Mumbai. However, following the recent leakages, our confidence has been shaken. We now harbor concerns about utilizing the tunnel in light of this incident.
Considering the substantial investment made in its construction, it is perplexing why adequate precautions were not taken to ensure proper maintenance. While it is indeed a matter of pride that such a tunnel has been constructed by the BMC, it is equally shameful to witness such leakages.
Once the Coastal Road connects to the Sea Link, it promises to further streamline travel, eliminating the need to wait at signals and saving significant time. However, if safety is compromised, the purpose is defeated. Particularly concerning is the tunnel adjacent to the sea, which instills fear among users of the northbound corridor."
Aaditya Thackeray, an MLA of Shivsena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Party said, "The Mumbai Coastal Road would have been fully completed and opened to citizens by December 2023 had the MVA remained in government. However, after our regime was toppled by the corrupt administration, they slowed down the work and escalated costs. Multiple inaugurations were planned in February, but as I pointed out then, it was only for one lane. This single lane was hurriedly opened to claim electoral credit for our project before the elections and operates from 8 am to 6 pm."
"We were then promised that the entire road would be opened by March, then April, and then May. Now, it’s almost June. Will the BMC provide an official update on the final opening date for citizens? Furthermore, when we form the government, we will thoroughly investigate the delays," he added.
A senior official from the Mumbai Coastal Road Project, speaking to FPJ, said, "Traffic on the northbound corridor of the Coastal Road will be permitted starting from June 10. This stretch spans from Marine Drive to the Bandra Worli Sea Link and encompasses the completion of Packages 1, 2, and 4. Package 1 covers the distance from Priyadarshini Park to Baroda Palace, spanning 3.82 km. Package 2 extends from Baroda Palace to the Worli end of the Bandra Worli Sea Link, covering 2.23 km. Package 4 stretches from the Princess Street Flyover to Priyadarshini Park, spanning 3.93 km."
The 10.58km long Coastal Road starting from BD Somani Chowk, which is 280 meters before the Princess Street Flyover at Marine drive, will connect to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link at Worli. Distance of Northbound Tunnel from BD Somani Chowk to Priyadarshini Park is approximately 4.05km and the tunnel is of 11m diameter. From Priyadarshini Park to Love Grove Complex the distance is 3.82km. From Love Grove Pumping station to Bandra Sea Link it is approx. 2.69km. Overall this 10.58km stretch will include three packages. There will be no separate promenade on the northbound corridor.
