Starting Friday (September 13), vehicles traveling northbound on the Coastal Road will be able to directly access the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Coastal Road project, which is estimated to cost approximately Rs 14,000 crore, aims to streamline travel between south Mumbai and the suburbs, thereby reducing commute times and enhancing the overall travel experience.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, will conduct an inspection of the newly established connection between the Coastal Road and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Thursday afternoon, according to BMC officials. This inspection precedes the official opening of the route for vehicular traffic on Friday.
Northbound vehicles traveling from south Mumbai to Bandra via the Coastal Road will have direct access to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link between 7 am and 11 pm. In contrast, southbound vehicles will need to use the current route until both sections of the Coastal Road are fully integrated with the sea link, according to a civic official.
This will be the fourth such opening on the road, which is being made operational in phases. Its southbound arm opened from Worli to Marine Drive on March 11. The northbound carriageway was opened from Marine Drive only till Haji Ali on June 10 followed by the stretch from Haji Ali to Worli on July 11.
The new route enables motorists to travel from Marine Drive to Worli in under 15 minutes. However, without a direct connection to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, traffic congestion occurs near the Worli exit during peak hours. The construction of this ambitious 10.58-km-long project began in October 2018.