Mumbai commuters traveling northbound can now experience a bit of relief as a new section of the Mumbai Coastal Road opens to traffic. The 3.5-kilometer stretch connecting Haji Ali to Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road in Worli, along with Haji Ali’s Arm 8 from Lotus Jetty Junction to the main bridge, officially opened today.
However, there’s a catch. This northbound lane will be operational on a limited schedule, open only from Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 11:00 pm. Weekends will be dedicated to finalizing construction on the remaining portions of the project.
This inauguration marks the third phase opening of the ambitious Dharmaveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road (South) Project. It follows the June opening of the second phase, a 6.25-kilometer stretch connecting Worli to Marine Drive, and the first phase opening in March – the southbound corridor from Bindu Madhav Chowk in Worli to Marine Drive.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde personally inspected the newly opened northbound lane yesterday before it welcomed its first official traffic. This section is expected to provide temporary relief for motorists traveling from south Mumbai towards the western suburbs, a route notorious for congestion.
The Mumbai Coastal Road Project is a significant undertaking by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). It received the highest budgetary allocation (17%) from the BMC’s 2022-23 budget, reflecting the project’s importance for improving Mumbai’s traffic flow. Upon completion, the entire Coastal Road is expected to be a game-changer for traffic management in the city.
