Mon Jan 27 08:01:34 UTC 2025: ## Mumbai Coastal Road’s Northbound Bridge Opens, Easing City Congestion
**Mumbai, India –** Mumbai’s long-awaited Coastal Road project reached another milestone on Monday with the opening of the northbound bridge connecting the Bandra-Worli Sea Link to Marine Drive. The opening of the 827-meter bridge, which includes a striking “Bow Arch String Girder,” is expected to significantly reduce travel times across the city, cutting the journey from Bandra to Marine Drive to just 10-15 minutes.
Three new interchanges were also inaugurated, providing improved connectivity to Worli, Prabhadevi, Lower Parel, and Lotus Junction. The bridge will operate from 7 am to 12 midnight.
The Mumbai Coastal Road, a project first envisioned in 1967, has been under construction since 2018. Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the first phase – a 10.58 km stretch from Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link – is now nearing completion. The project, costing ₹14,000 crore (approximately $1.7 billion USD), features a 2.07 km undersea tunnel (one tube currently open), an elevated road, and several strategically placed interchanges.
The southbound arm opened earlier this year, and the phased opening of the northbound section concluded with Monday’s inauguration. The project boasts impressive features such as India’s first undersea tunnel and approximately 70 hectares of newly created green space, including cycle tracks and parks. A sea protection wall is also planned to mitigate erosion.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lauded the project, stating it will save Mumbaikars considerable time and fuel, while also contributing to pollution reduction. Over 50 lakh vehicles have already utilized the Coastal Road since March, averaging 18,000-20,000 daily.
With 94% of the work complete, the full Coastal Road, including the Prabhadevi connector, is scheduled to open in February. The second phase, a 20-kilometer stretch between Versova and Dahisar, is currently under construction.
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