Mumbai’s ambitious Coastal Road Project is poised to enter its next phase of transformation, with civic authorities aiming to unlock 24×7 access for motorists by mid-June.
This long-anticipated move hinges on the completion of the seafront promenade, a sweeping 7.5-kilometre urban spine stretching from Priyadarshini Park to the southern end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have confirmed that the current time restrictions—limiting vehicular movement between 7 am and midnight—will be lifted once the promenade is fully operational and safe for public use. The 10.58-kilometre Mumbai Coastal Road, linking Princess Street Flyover in Marine Drive to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, is already fully open for vehicular traffic in both directions. However, work is still underway on the ancillary urban beautification and open space development planned as part of the corridor’s sustainable and citizen-centric infrastructure.
The most prominent of these public-facing additions is the 20-metre-wide promenade, which is being hailed as a game-changer for active mobility and open-space equity in Mumbai. Designed as a car-free corridor flanking the coast, it integrates a continuous pedestrian and cycling path. Urban planners envision it as a contemporary complement to the Marine Drive promenade, but larger in scope and more versatile in public utility. The promenade project spans nearly 11 hectares of reclaimed land, much of which was previously inaccessible or underutilised. Civic sources confirm that over 5 hectares within the median stretch are being developed under the stewardship of a leading private conglomerate as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The project features sustainable landscaping, tree plantations, and a blueprint that discourages overt commercialisation, in line with Mumbai’s climate-resilient urban vision.
Adding momentum to the larger vision of reimagining the city’s waterfront, 70 hectares of additional open spaces along the southern stretch of the coastal corridor have been earmarked for green development. This segment, awarded after a rigorous evaluation of Expressions of Interest submitted by five major corporate entities, is now expected to be managed by a private sector player that has committed to designing, developing and maintaining these spaces exclusively under CSR, with no commercial interests. Civic authorities confirmed that the selected entity met all qualifications and has agreed to shoulder the responsibility without profit motives. Administrative approvals are awaited, following which detailed designs and development proposals will be submitted for final nods from the municipal leadership.
What sets this initiative apart is not just its size or cost—estimated at Rs 400 crore—but the ethos of equitable public access it champions. Mumbai, a city long starved of green recreational areas, is set to benefit from a transformative array of amenities. These include Miyawaki forests for carbon sequestration and biodiversity, musical fountains for public enjoyment, butterfly gardens as micro-habitats, and dedicated zones for yoga and senior citizen leisure. Children’s play areas, open-air gyms, jogging tracks, cycling lanes and amphitheatres are also part of the proposed urban tapestry. Urban development experts have underlined the potential impact of these interventions on the city’s liveability index. Not only do such public spaces improve quality of life and support mental well-being, but they also promote gender-inclusive and safe environments—especially when combined with lighting, surveillance, and round-the-clock accessibility. “This is about more than beautification—this is about reclaiming the coastline for people, not just vehicles,” said one civic expert familiar with the project’s design philosophy.
The integration of soft mobility infrastructure like dedicated cycling tracks and pedestrian underpasses is expected to encourage low-carbon commuting habits. Furthermore, the use of native vegetation and low-maintenance landscape design supports Mumbai’s broader goal of net-zero urbanism by reducing water usage and heat-island effects. While the civic body has largely delivered on the engineering front—completing the twin tunnels, sea walls, and carriageways of the coastal road—its current focus is squarely on making the corridor people-friendly. The holistic development approach seeks to counter the traditional image of infrastructure projects as vehicle-centric by ensuring that they are also ecologically sensitive and socially inclusive.
Despite a promising roadmap, the rollout is not without dependencies. The administrative go-ahead for Reliance Industries to begin detailed planning of the 70-hectare green initiative remains pending as top officials are on temporary leave. Meanwhile, civic workers and contractors are racing against time to complete the final promenade fittings and public safety installations ahead of the June 15 deadline. For Mumbai residents, this evolving coastal project represents a rare confluence of access, aesthetics and accountability. As the city inches closer to realising this landmark initiative, the broader question it raises is equally significant: Can Indian cities reclaim public spaces not just as thoroughfares, but as ecological commons?
If delivered as promised, the Mumbai Coastal Road Project could serve as a replicable template for sustainable urban infrastructure across Indian metropolises—blending mobility, resilience and community into one continuous stretch of coastal transformation.
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