The one arm of the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL), is set to open for traffic by next week. Although initially planned for a July 15 opening, heavy rains delayed the project, pushing the deadline by nearly two months. The entire coastal road and connector are now anticipated to be completed by December.
Constructed by the BMC, the 10.58-km Coastal Road stretches from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the BWSL. The southern arm of the road, from Worli to Marine Drive, opened on March 12; the northern arm, from Marine Drive to Haji Ali, opened on June 10; and the 3.5-km stretch from Haji Ali to Abdul Gaffer Khan opened on July 11. In May, the BMC successfully launched two long 'Bowarch String' girders to link the coastal road and BWSL, though further progress was hindered by heavy rains.
Currently, 95% of the coastal road work is complete, with concreting and curing of the bridge nearing final stages. The BMC plans to open the southbound carriageway of the connector during Ganeshotsav, while northbound traffic will be redirected during peak periods, according to sources. The Coastal Road, featuring 4+4 lanes, has reduced travel time by 70% and fuel consumption by 34%.
In addition, the BMC has appointed a consultant and initiated the tendering process for developing 70 hectares of public open spaces along the Coastal Road. They have also acquired a 48-hectare section of the Mahalaxmi Race Course for a Central Park, with architects currently being selected for the project.
