Mumbai: Following the inauguration of the 5.5km long Promenade along the coastal road today, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will welcome everyone to the promenade tomorrow in celebration of Independence Day.
This walkway extends from Priyadarshini Park at Breach Candy to Worli, running alongside the coastal road, and includes bike paths, seating spots, and green areas with 300 newly planted trees. The walkway will create a fresh coastal area for the city, acting as a substitute for the original Worli seaface, which was changed because of the coastal road in 2019.
The BMC has designated 70 hectares out of the 110 hectares of reclaimed land for public spaces, which will feature amphitheatres and green belts. A major advantage of the promenade is its function as a natural defence against high tides during the monsoon season, featuring stone boulders positioned at its foundation for security.
Nonetheless, access to the promenade from the coastal road is restricted for safety reasons, as pedestrian crossings are prohibited on the high-speed roadway. The authorities have built 19 pedestrian underpasses for safe access and exit, with four currently in operation.
The access points feature the Akriti Parking Structure and sites at Haji Ali Junction, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road, and Bindu Madhav Thackeray Chowk. The other 15 underpasses will be opened incrementally as construction on the remaining 2.5-kilometer section advances, which was not included in the original plan and necessitates new bids.
