Entire stretch of Mumbai Coastal Road opened for vehicles round-the-clock

File Photo

The Dharmaveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Road, popularly known as Mumbai Coastal Road, has been opened 24X7 for all kinds of four-wheelers and buses, a civic official said, reported news agency PTI.

All the work on the coastal road is finished, an order said, following which the entire stretch was opened for vehicles from Saturday morning.

The order to open all the bridges, tunnels and underpasses of both south and north-bound lanes for vehicular traffic was issued on Friday, the official said, reported PTI.

With the entire stretch of the coastal road now open, the north-bound connector from Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Road to the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link was closed as it is no longer needed, the official said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai's newly opened Coastal Road promenade saw considerable footfall on its very first day, with Mumbaikars flocking to the spot from 3 pm onwards. The promenade was officially opened to the public by the BMC at 4.30 pm on Friday. This is the third sea-facing promenade in the city, after Marine Drive and Bandra Bandstand, and it also features an adjoining cycle track.

The promenade can be accessed via four pedestrian underpasses, which were opened for public use on Friday, out of a total of 11 underpasses constructed along the 7.5 km stretch. At present, 5.25 km of the promenade is open to the public.

The promenade developed by the BMC as part of its ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road Project will be dedicated to the nation by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The new promenade is designed to serve both as a recreational area and a fitness zone, with cycling tracks, shaded seating, and extensive landscaping.

The access of the new promenade will be free, and citizens can reach there through new underpasses at four locations- Bhulabhai Desai Road, Haji Ali Junction, Worli Dairy, and Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk near Worli seaface.

All underpasses include stairways and ramps to ensure accessibility for cyclists and persons with disabilities. Wheelchair access and inclusive design features have also been incorporated throughout the promenade.

The more than 3.5 km long Marine Drive promenade, also known as Queen's Necklace, stretches between Nariman Point and Girgaon Chowpatty in south Mumbai. It is one of the major tourist attractions.