Named the ‘Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road’ after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the inauguration date was selected to be on his death anniversary (March 11). Sambhaji is the son of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

According to CM Shinde, the second phase of the Mumbai coastal road project is likely to be completed by May 2024. The BMC, which has allocated ₹3,200 crore for the work in its FY23 Budget, said that over 75 percent of the entire project is completed. Overall the project cost a hefty ₹12,721 crore.

Also Read | Mumbai coastal road is ‘open’ to public now. Know speed limits, traffic advisory 

Here is all you need to know about the Coastal Road project if you’re thinking of using it: 

Features to note

— The 53-km-long coastal road project which began on October 13 2018, will be connected to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and extend to Dahisar.

— The southbound carriageway stretching from Worli to Marine Drive, opened at 8 am today, significantly slashes travel time from 40 minutes to 9 minutes.

— BMC civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said this is expected to lead to an annual saving of nearly $100 million in carbon emissions through fuel efficiency.

— The coastal road, spanning 10.58 km with 16.5 km of interchanges, is being constructed at ₹14,000 crore. It features four lanes on each side, along with two impressive 12.19-metre diameter tunnels spanning 2.07 km in length.

— The four-lane coastal road is a first in India, being constructed entirely on land reclaimed from the sea and standing on monopiles exclusively.

— Chahal, who serves as the BMC’s administrator, shared plans for the coastal road to boast 175 acres of coastal gardens developed over time.

— The Mumbai Coastal Road will have a 2 km-long twin tunnel between Priyadarshini Park and Marine Drive. The tunnels will have three lanes each, while the remaining stretch of the road will have four lanes on each carriageway.

— Once fully completed, the project will reduce travel time between Nariman Point in South Mumbai to Kandivali in the suburbs from over 2 hours to less than 40 minutes. 

Access areas for public use on the opened stretch

— A 10.5-kilometer-long stretch has been opened for traffic in the first phase from March 12, as per an official.

— Motorists can enter the coastal road from Worli Seaface, Haji Ali interchange and Amarson’s interchange points, and exit at Marine Lines, specifically at Princess Street Bridge.

— Other convenient entry and exit points for commuters along the route include the Bindu Madhav Thackeray Junction, Rajani Patel Junction (also known as Lotus Junction), and Amarsons Garden.

Rules of use were also posted on social media for citizens

— The Coastal Road is toll-free. 

— In terms of speed, Mumbai Police in a tweet notified citizens that the maximum speed limit on Dharmveer Swarajya Rakshak Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Marg (Coastal Road) will be 80 kmph. Further, while using the tunnel speed limit will be reduced to 60 kmph, and during turning and entry-exit points it will be 40 kmph.

— The following vehicle types are prohibited from using the road: All types of heavy vehicles, trailers, mixers, tractors, heavy goods vehicles, excluding BEST and ST buses, passengers carrying vehicles, and all goods carrier vehicles.

— Pedestrians, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, hand-pulled carts, cycles and disabled persons’ motorcycles and scooters (including sidecars) are also prohibited from using the road.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Published: 12 Mar 2024, 12:36 PM IST