Mumbai’s civic body has awarded a ₹89 crore contract to ensure the long-term maintenance of the city’s recently opened Coastal Road, marking the next phase in the management of one of the city’s most ambitious transport projects. The five-year contract is expected to cost the civic authority nearly ₹1.5 crore a month, dedicated exclusively to the upkeep of the stretch connecting Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
The Coastal Road, fully operational since August 15, has already transformed commuter patterns in south Mumbai. Officials report that motorists now complete the journey between Bandra and Marine Drive in just 10–12 minutes, with average travel time cut by nearly 70 per cent and fuel consumption reduced by 34 per cent. This efficiency gain is seen as both an economic and environmental benefit, reducing vehicular emissions while offering smoother connectivity across the city’s arterial routes. Alongside traffic operations, the project has opened a new seafront promenade, modelled on Marine Drive, with 5.25 kilometres of the planned 7.5-km stretch already accessible to the public. The civic body has also partnered with a private infrastructure firm for the creation of nearly 70 hectares of open spaces along the Coastal Road. The ₹400 crore investment is expected to deliver landscaped gardens, cycling tracks, walking paths, and recreational zones that will expand public access to the city’s shoreline, long under pressure from real estate and commercial development.
According to senior officials, the newly awarded contract to a private engineering company covers a wide scope of work, including daily cleaning, quarterly tunnel wall scrubbing, road marking upkeep, debris clearance, pest control, drainage maintenance, and the servicing of lighting, HVAC, and CCTV systems. The package also includes operational support for internet and emergency communication networks, ensuring uninterrupted functioning of the road’s smart infrastructure. The Coastal Road itself is an 8-lane, 10.58-kilometre expressway constructed at a cost of ₹13,984 crore. While there are no toll charges at present, civic authorities have not ruled out the possibility of levies in the future. For now, officials maintain that the city’s taxpayers are directly funding its upkeep to guarantee free and equitable access.
In addition to the expressway and promenade, the civic body is simultaneously pushing forward with underground parking facilities at Bhulabhai Desai Marg, Haji Ali, Worli Dairy, and Worli Seaface. Between them, these sites will accommodate nearly 1,600 vehicles, with two of the four projects already completed. The Coastal Road project has quickly emerged as more than a traffic solution; it is shaping into a large-scale urban renewal initiative. By combining mobility infrastructure with public amenities and open spaces, the city hopes to balance efficiency with sustainability. Experts, however, stress that maintaining transparency in contracts and ensuring consistent upkeep will be vital if Mumbai’s newest landmark project is to live up to its promise as both a transport asset and a people’s promenade.
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