The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Friday that the Mumbai Coastal Road will be open for traffic every day of the week, effective September 21. Previously, this vital roadway connecting Marine Lines and Worli was operational only on weekdays from 7 AM to midnight.
Significant Progress on Construction
According to a BMC release, 92 percent of the work on the Dharmaveer Swarajyarakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Mumbai Coastal Road has been completed. The project, which commenced on October 13, 2018, links the Shamaldas Gandhi Marg (Princess Street) flyover to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and has a total estimated cost of Rs 13,983 crore.
In conjunction with this announcement, the traffic wing of the Mumbai police issued a notification prohibiting heavy vehicles from using the coastal road. Vehicles such as trailers, mixers, tractors, and goods vehicles are banned, although BEST and state transport buses, as well as passenger-carrying vehicles, are exempt. Furthermore, the police have restricted vehicles from stopping and have prohibited pedestrians from alighting, taking pictures, or shooting videos along this route.
The traffic regulations include a speed limit of 80 km/h on straight stretches, 60 km/h in tunnels, 40 km/h at turns, and 30 km/h at the merging point with the sea link.
Earlier this month, the BMC temporarily opened the coastal road 24/7 from September 7 to September 17 to facilitate traffic during the Ganpati festival.
As per the latest update, the southbound arm of the Coastal Road from Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk, Rajni Patel Chowk (Lotus Junction), and Ambedkar Udyan to Marine Drive, along with the northbound route to the Sea Link, will remain open for vehicular movement.
The BMC has urged commuters to adhere to traffic rules and speed limits, and to exercise caution while driving to prevent accidents.