19 September,2026 08:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Sarthak Mehta
A view of Coastal Road and the surrounding area. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Work has begun on the 130-acre recreational space along Mumbai's Coastal Road South, with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) planning to develop the project in phases and target the Worli stretch by December, according to civic officials.
Underground water tanks are already being built at Worli, while the formal bhumipujan is expected to be held within a month. A civic official said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis may attend the event. The project will stretch across about 7 km of the 10.6-km Coastal Road South, from Priyadarshini Park and Breach Candy to the Worli end of the Sea Link. The ambitious project is likely to be completed around mid-2028.
Six zones, one waterfront park
The 130 acres have been divided, with a mix of free public spaces and ticketed amenities
ZONE 1 | NEPEAN SEA ROAD | 34 ACRES
Ticketed | 7.5 acres
. Forest exploratorium and toy train
. Aquatic display
. Bird trail
. Rock pool
. Children's play area
. Light Loop display
. Petting zoo
. Art forest
. Dog off-leash area
. Padel and pickleball courts
. Cycle rental
Non-ticketed | 26.5 acres
. Boardwalk
. Walking and cycling trails
. Butterfly gardens
. Workout pods
. Senior citizen park
. Orchard
. Children's play area
. F&B kiosks
ZONE 2 | BREACH CANDY | 20 ACRES
Ticketed | 1.5 acres
. Volleyball courts
. Turf football
. Cricket nets
. Cycle rental
Non-ticketed | 18.5 acres
. Forest trails
. Workout pods
. Multipurpose lawn
. Bleacher gardens
. Spectator slopes
. Butterfly gardens
. F&B kiosks
ZONE 3 | MAHALAKSHMI TEMPLE | 7 ACRES
Ticketed | 1.5 acres
. Confluence Court for cultural events
. Cycle rental
. Basketball courts
Non-ticketed | 5.5 acres
. Sacred forest grove
. Water gardens
. Meditation zones and spiritual sculptures
. Reflexology healing walk
. Temple court and kund
. Children's play area
. F&B kiosks
Access note: The Confluence Court is proposed to be free when no event is taking place.
ZONE 4 | HAJI ALI | 30 ACRES
Ticketed | 3.7 acres
. Tennis courts
. Pickleball and padel courts
. Bouldering and parkour gym
. Cycle rental
. Event plaza
. Light and sound show or similar attraction
Non-ticketed | 26.3 acres
. Scenic overlook
. Water feature
. Plaza games
. Destination F&B zones
. Walking trails
Access note: The event plaza is proposed to be free when no event is taking place.
ZONE 5 | WORLI SOUTH | 20 ACRES
Ticketed | 3.3 acres
. Destination children's play area
. Dog off-leash area
. Cycle rental
Non-ticketed | 16.7 acres
. F&B kiosks
. Forest trails
. Workout pods
. Bridge
ZONE 6 | WORLI
NORTH | 19 ACRES
Ticketed | 2 acres
. Grand lawn
. Iconic observation structure
. Cycle rental
Non-ticketed | 17 acres
. Woodland gallery with native trees
. Open-air museum
. Children's play area
. Senior citizen park
. Water feature
. Water-access terraces
. Waterfall gardens
. Small amphitheatre
. Destination F&B zone
Access note: The grand lawn is proposed to be free when no event is taking place.
August 17
Civic chief Ashwini Bhide approved the final master plan, according to civic officials.
August 21
Reliance received Bhide's approval to begin development.
Within 18-24 months
The entire project is expected to be developed as per the legally binding agreement, according to civic officials. A RIL spokesperson conveyed a conservative estimate to mid-day on Friday. "We are currently in the planning stage and after the monsoon we will start work and after that the first phase will be completed between 18-24 months," said the spokesperson.
The final plan contains some changes suggested by the BMC's internal landscaping committee, officials said. One sports facility earlier proposed near Breach Candy has been shifted towards Haji Ali. The plan submitted by RIL in July also incorporated the apex court's 15 per cent ceiling on ticketed or access-controlled areas. Civic officials said the master plan had been undergoing refinements since last year before the BMC and RIL agreed on the final version.
Reliance was appointed by the BMC to develop, landscape and maintain the reclaimed open space under its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative. The arrangement covers an initial 30-year period.
The Supreme Court's June 2026 order cleared the way for the master plan while retaining restrictions on ticketed and access-controlled facilities.
Maximum ticketed/access-controlled area: 15 per cent
Publicly accessible area: At least 85 per cent
The court also maintained that the reclaimed land cannot be used for residential or commercial development for sale or lease.
Worli: Underground water tank work has begun.
Preparatory landscaping: Reliance has also begun preparatory work at the site. Earlier reports said a nursery had been created at Worli with thousands of plants. Reliance later said 15,000 trees were already on site and that the completed gardens would have more than 60,000 trees.
