Mumbai’s Coastal Road expands: New stretch from Haji Ali to Marine Drive opens for public – ET TravelWorld

In a major development for Mumbai’s commuters, a new stretch of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) from Haji Ali Juice Centre to Marine Drive is now open to the public. The new section aims to decongest city roads by providing a high-speed southbound connector, making travel smoother and more efficient.
Before this opening, vehicles traveling south had only a few entry points to the coastal road, primarily via the Worli interchange, the Amarsons interchange, or through the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL). The newly opened stretch now allows direct access, helping reduce congestion on Mumbai’s internal roads and offering a faster route along the western coastline.The MCRP features multi-level interchanges at critical junctions such as Haji Ali, Peddar Road (Amarsons Garden), and Worli Sea Face. These interchanges are designed to improve traffic movement and ease congestion in busy areas. The Haji Ali interchange is the most complex, with eight vehicle arms, while the Amarsons and Worli interchanges have four and five arms, respectively.

The final section of the project, connecting the BWSL to Lotus Jetty-Worli Naka, is expected to be operational by mid-March. Civic officials confirmed that work at the Worli interchange is in its final stages, though minor delays were caused due to the construction of vehicular parking spaces for traffic arms. The Haji Ali interchange arms were previously opened in December 2024, providing some relief to commuters.

Stretching 10.58 km from the Princess Street Flyover at Marine Drive to the Worli end of the BWSL, the coastal road is a game-changer for Mumbai’s transport infrastructure. The MCRP is expected to cut travel time significantly while reducing congestion on existing road networks.

Last month, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inaugurated a key bow-string arch bridge linking the BWSL to the coastal road. Additionally, three major interchanges were opened to provide better connectivity to important areas such as Worli, Prabhadevi, Lower Parel, and Lotus Junction. These developments are expected to ease congestion and improve travel efficiency in South Mumbai.

For daily commuters, this expansion means not only reduced travel time but also a smoother and more organized traffic flow.