Mumbai commuters have reason to celebrate as the north-bound arm of the Dharamveer Swaraj Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Mumbai Coastal Road, stretching from Marine Drive to Worli, was officially inaugurated on Monday. This long-awaited development promises to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity in the city.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, accompanied by Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, marked the occasion in style by riding a vintage Rolls Royce car during the formal inauguration ceremony. Vehicular movement on this new route will be permitted starting Tuesday.

Similar to the south-bound arm, which began operation in March this year, the northern segment will be open for traffic between 7 am and 11 pm on weekdays. The south-bound arm currently facilitates vehicles traveling from Worli to Marine Drive, while the newly inaugurated north-bound section will serve commuters moving from Marine Drive to the vehicular interchange at Haji Ali.

Civic officials have confirmed that the north-bound arm extends approximately 6.25 kilometers, compared to the eight-kilometer stretch of the south-bound arm. The entire coastal road project, costing around Rs 13,000 crore, is designed as a high-speed corridor. It will connect the Bandra Worli Sea Link with Marine Drive through an intricate network of tunnels, vehicular interchanges, and bridges.

 Mumbai Coastal Road tunnel: 10 special Features 

1. Length and Connectivity: The newly opened tunnel is 6.25 km long and links Haji Ali with Amarsons.
2. Operational Hours: The tunnel will be operational for 16 hours daily, from 7 am to 11 pm.
3. Weekday Operations: It will remain open from Monday to Friday and will be closed on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) due to ongoing project work.
4. Travel Routes: The coastal route provides access from Marine Drive northwards to Bhulabhai Desai Marg, Barrister Rajani Patel Chowk (Lotus Jetty), and Vatsalabai Desai Chowk (Haji Ali Chowk).
5. BMC's Progress: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is striving to open the phase up to Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk by July 10, enhancing northbound travel through the Mumbai Coastal Road Project.
6. Travel Time and Fuel Efficiency: The new road aims to reduce travel time between south Mumbai and the western suburbs by 70% and cut fuel consumption by 34%.
7. Lane Configuration: The 10.58-km coastal road has 8 lanes on the surface and 6 lanes within the tunnel.
8. Dedicated Bus Lane: Reports suggest there will be a dedicated lane for buses.
9. Tunnel Construction Details: The two tunnels of the coastal road, each measuring 2.072 km in length with an internal diameter of 11 meters, are being constructed between Priyadarshini Park and Girgaon Chowpatty.
10. Construction Features: The tunnels are reinforced with a 375-mm-thick concrete cover and feature fire protection boards.

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